Prime Minister Keir Starmer says sentences in a rape case involving two teenage boys are to be reviewed by the Court of Appeal. Multiple outlets report that Starmer frames the decision as the “right outcome,” and says it should proceed urgently. The case has prompted public backlash after the boys were convicted of rape but spared prison.
According to the reports, Starmer says he found the situation “distressing,” adding that he is speaking as a father. One outlet quotes the judge’s approach as aiming to avoid what he described as unnecessarily criminalising children. Another report adds that Starmer comments on the complainant’s account, describing her evidence as harrowing and brave.
The coverage is consistent in stating that the referral to the Court of Appeal is intended to reassess whether the sentencing outcome was appropriate, given that no custodial term was imposed. The reports do not detail the original sentences’ length or the Court of Appeal’s next steps beyond the review announcement.
