Rape survivor says she is living in fear as teen boys' sentences reviewed

A rape survivor said she is living in fear after the attack by teenage boys, whose sentences are now being reviewed under England and Wales’ Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Her case puts a hard question back in focus: when the headlines fade, does the justice system do enough to protect victims from the ongoing trauma that can follow a sexual assault?

The review system lets victims, prosecutors or members of the public ask the Attorney General’s Office to take a Crown Court sentence to the Court of Appeal if they believe it is too low. Referrals must usually be made within 28 days of sentencing. If the Court of Appeal agrees that a sentence is unduly lenient, it may increase it. The legal power for that review is set out in section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

For rape and sexual assault victims, government guidance makes the stakes plain: the Court of Appeal can raise a sentence if it finds it falls below the threshold of being unduly lenient. That safeguard is meant to offer a route for challenge, but it also adds another layer of stress for survivors who may already be dealing with fear, shame and the practical strain of rebuilding a life after violence.

The case comes amid wider scrutiny of how victims are told about their rights. Ministers expanded the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme in September 2019 to cover 14 new offences, broadening the range of cases that can be challenged. In April 2026, the government announced further reforms to give victims and bereaved families longer to challenge sentences they believe are too soft, and to require notification of their right to use the scheme.

BBC Newsnight has previously heard from rape survivors who described the process of challenging sentences as exploitative and distressing, with some saying the effort of pursuing justice adds to the burden of the original assault. That concern now sits at the center of a policy debate about whether sentencing decisions properly account for public protection, victim safety and the long tail of trauma that can keep a survivor afraid long after a case has been decided.