In a direct and urgent appeal to the UK’s chief legal advisor, Alicia Kearns, the Member of Parliament for Rutland & Stamford, has formally requested a review of sentences handed down to three young boys convicted of gang-raping two young girls.
The letter, addressed to the Attorney General, the Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, dates from May 22, 2026. It expresses profound dismay over the legal outcome of a trial concluded just a day prior at Southampton Crown Court under Justice Judge Nicholas Rowland. Instead of custodial sentences, the three offenders were given youth rehabilitation orders two lasting three years, and one for the younger attacker lasting eighteen months.
Alicia Kearns’ correspondence captures a growing wave of public indignation, arguing that the court's decision completely fails to reflect the severity of the crimes. According to the MP, the offenses were not isolated instances of "youthful misjudgement," but rather a series of premeditated, repeat attacks starting in November 2024 and recurring two months later. The perpetrators allegedly lured their victims to specific locations, used a knife for intimidation, and filmed the assaults to share with others.
"What message does this send to survivors of sexual violence when the punishment for premeditated gang rape is nothing more than a smack on the wrist?" Alicia Kearns writes in the letter. "What deterrent exists if the brutal gang rape of children isn't deemed worthy of a custodial sentence?"
The MP sharply criticises the current state of the justice system, asserting that it currently appears more invested in protecting the futures of violent offenders than delivering justice for traumatised victims. Alicia Kearns warns that such lenient sentencing undermines public confidence entirely, cautioning that women and girls may stop reporting violent sexual crimes if they believe their attackers will evade meaningful punishment.
By formally referring the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, Alicai Kearns is forcing a high-level reassessment of the ruling. The Attorney General’s office will now be required to review the judge's decision and determine whether there are grounds to refer the case to the Court of Appeal, where the sentences could potentially be increased to custodial terms.
As the debate over judicial discretion versus public safety intensifies, all eyes turn to the Attorney General to see how the government will respond to this high-stakes challenge.
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