Gisèle Pelicot, the French rape survivor whose case became the largest of its kind in her country's history, has expressed profound shock at the decision to spare three teenage boys custodial sentences for raping two girls in Hampshire.
The 73-year-old said she was "deeply shocked that these individuals were in fact able to gain their freedom again when in fact the victims are suffering so hard they will never be able to heal".
Ms Pelicot praised the courage of one victim who chose to speak publicly about her ordeal.
"I really salute her strength and the decision she made, because I know that it's an incredibly difficult decision," she told the BBC.
The two victims, aged 15 and 14 at the time, were attacked in separate incidents in Fordingbridge during November 2024 and January 2025.
Two boys who were 14 years old carried out the rapes, whilst a third defendant, then 13, was convicted for his role in the second assault.
At the sentencing hearing last Thursday, the presiding judge stated his intention to avoid criminalising the "very young" offenders.
The boys received Youth Rehabilitation Orders rather than imprisonment, a decision that has since prompted the Attorney General to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.
Gisèle Pelicot has expressed her shock at the lack of custodial sentences for three teenage boys who committed rapes in Hampshire
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Ms Pelicot, whose husband Dominique was imprisoned for 20 years after drugging her and inviting dozens of men to rape her, insisted that rape must never go unpunished.
"Rape is a crime and justice has an essential role. It's there to, in fact, name the crimes, to recognise the suffering of victims, and to remember that in fact they must not remain unpunished," she said.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that Attorney General Lord Hermer had reviewed the sentences and exercised his power to refer them to the Court of Appeal.
"I think it's a really distressing case," Sir Keir said. "I think it's distressing for everybody to see, to hear about. The courage, frankly, of the girls to come forward is humbling, but it is distressing."
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The boys were convicted at Southampton Crown Court | WIKIMEDIAThe Prime Minister added that he found the case distressing both as a politician and as a father.
Addressing questions surrounding the sentences, Sir Keir explained that the Attorney General possesses the authority to refer cases where sentences may be considered too lenient.
"So I can announce that case now will go to a Court of Appeal...and that is clearly the right outcome," he stated.
The first 15-year-old defendant received a three-year Youth Rehabilitation Order with 180 days of intensive supervision for raping both girls and two indecent images offences.
The court heard he had been diagnosed with ADHD and suffered from long-standing anxiety
A second boy, also now 15, was handed an identical sentence for three rape charges against each victim and four counts of taking indecent images relating to footage of the attacks. Evidence presented indicated his IQ fell within the bottom one per cent of his age group, and he too had an ADHD diagnosis.
The youngest defendant, now 14, received an 18-month Youth Rehabilitation Order for encouraging the second boy and possessing indecent images. He was described as having mild cognitive impairment.
One victim, speaking to the BBC, described learning of the non-custodial sentences as like a "rock straight in my face".
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