The schoolboy struck four times on Telford streets during the winter, persistently carrying out his assaults as the victims tried to fight him off. This case is particularly concerning as the perpetrator was so young; however, despite the severity of his crimes, the boy will not serve a custodial sentence, a decision that has caused much controversy.
A judge at c where the boy was sentenced, stated that he had no idea why the boy had acted in this way, and that this had made the case “very, very difficult”. The judge mentioned that he had to “balance what a 13-year-old needs and what society needs when women are seriously accosted in the street”. He also mentioned that had the boy been of adult age, he would have been jailed for about nine years. The difficulty was that a custodial sentence for a 13-year-old child would mean their release in 18 months, without having their underlying issues addressed.
Ultimately, the judge issued a youth rehabilitation order with a supervision order for 30 months and mandated that the boy participates in a programme delivered at a specialist therapeutic unit. The programme is aimed at addressing the boy’s distorted view of sexual intimacy, which was noted as being the driving force behind the offences. The judge stated that the boy’s family life had been relatively normal, and that he had learned that the youngster claimed he acted “out of anger and low mood” and that the attacks were not motivated by sexual gratification.
The decision not to impose a custodial sentence has raised many concerns, particularly among the victims and their families.
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