{"id":3518,"date":"2026-05-26T16:12:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T16:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/judge-who-spared-teenage-rape-gang-from-detention-previously-challenged-over-another-sex-case\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T16:12:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T16:12:03","slug":"judge-who-spared-teenage-rape-gang-from-detention-previously-challenged-over-another-sex-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/judge-who-spared-teenage-rape-gang-from-detention-previously-challenged-over-another-sex-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge who spared teenage rape gang from detention previously challenged over another sex case"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_1c1e1b\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Court of Appeal judges ruled that the sentence handed down by judge Nicholas Rowlands to a man convicted of rape &#8216;was too low but not so low that this court should intervene&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37207167\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Scene of tv interview with girl's identity concealed\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207167.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-104719.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207167.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-104719.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207167.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-104719.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207167.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-104719.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The girl who was raped by two teen boys spoke out about the case\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The girl who was raped by two teen boys spoke out about the case<cite aria-label=\"Image: BBC\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: BBC)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The judge who spared a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/gisele-pelicot-uk-rape-boys-37204440\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">teenage rape gang<\/a> from detention was challenged by the government last year for an &#8220;unduly lenient&#8221; sentence in another rape case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Judge Nicholas Rowland has been heavily criticised for sparing<a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/boys-sentences-rape-slammed-police-37189970\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\"> two boys aged 15<\/a> and one 14, from custodial sentences after they were convicted of ten counts of rape in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, over two separate attacks in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Ellie Reeves, the solicitor-general, appealed against the <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/schoolboys-rape-trial-hears-clapping-36899979\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">sentence<\/a> Judge Rowland handed to Joshua Blachford, a restaurant manager who admitted rape. Rowland told the court that &#8220;numerous testimonials&#8221; from the defendant&#8217;s friends and family &#8220;show a wholly different side to you&#8221; and jailed him for three years and nine months.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37207602\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37207602\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Joshua Blachford\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207602.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_jb1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207602.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_jb1.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207602.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_jb1.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207602.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_jb1.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Joshua Blachford pleaded guilty\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Joshua Blachford pleaded guilty<cite aria-label=\"Image: hampshire.police.uk\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: hampshire.police.uk)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_9d2dcd\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37189601\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/royals\/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-epstein-files-37189601\" tabindex=\"0\">Ex-Prince Andrew detectives in sex crime probe amid claims woman &#8216;sent by Epstein&#8217;<\/a><\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_9d2dcd\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37175216\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/andrew-malkinson-wrongly-jailed-rape-37175216\" tabindex=\"0\">Victim of one of UK&#8217;s worst justice miscarriages left with &#8216;\u00a310,000 bill&#8217; after compensation fight<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Court of Appeal judges ruled last November that the sentence was arguably &#8220;not merely verging on the unduly lenient but was properly to be described as unduly lenient&#8221;. However, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith, sitting with two other judges, concluded it &#8220;was too low but not so low that this court should intervene&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Last month Judge Rowland gave a convicted sex offender a 12-month community order after he was caught with images of bestiality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Daniel Rushton, 39, previously received a suspended jail sentence in 2023 after admitting an attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child online. Rowland told the paedophile: &#8220;Continue with the progress you&#8217;re making, otherwise things will take a turn for the worse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37207588\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37207588\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.78\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Scene of one attack at an underpass by the river Avon\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207588.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_DX411JPG.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207588.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_DX411JPG.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207588.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_DX411JPG.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207588.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_DX411JPG.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"One attack took place in this underpass by the river Avon\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">One attack took place in this underpass by the river Avon<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Judge Rowland was appointed a part-time judge, known as a recorder, in 2003. He became a circuit judge in 2014 and is based at Southampton crown court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Judges are bound by law to follow official guidance when sentencing and they are given a specific set of rules when dealing with children convicted of sexual offences.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The primary objective is that custody should be a &#8220;last resort\u201d and courts must focus on the defendant&#8217;s rehabilitation while not &#8220;criminalising children and young people unnecessarily\u201d.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37207599\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37207599\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.32\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Southampton Crown Court\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207599.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_BPM-MEDIA-Southampton-Crown-Court-02.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207599.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_BPM-MEDIA-Southampton-Crown-Court-02.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207599.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_BPM-MEDIA-Southampton-Crown-Court-02.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37207599.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_BPM-MEDIA-Southampton-Crown-Court-02.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"The boys were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The boys were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court<cite aria-label=\"Image: HAMPSHIRE LIVE\/BPM MEDIA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: HAMPSHIRE LIVE\/BPM MEDIA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sentencing Council guidelines say: &#8220;While the seriousness of the offence will be the starting point, the approach to sentencing should be individualistic and focused on the child or young person, as opposed to offence-focused. For a child or young person the sentence should focus on rehabilitation where possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It adds domestic and international laws dictate that a custodial sentence should &#8220;always be a measure of last resort for children and young people&#8221;. A custodial sentence may only be imposed when the offence is &#8220;so serious that no other sanction is appropriate,\u201d the guidelines state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It adds: &#8220;The primary purpose of the youth justice system is to encourage children and young people to take responsibility for their actions and promote re-integration into society rather than to punish.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A second set of guidelines says judges must take into account &#8220;aggravating factors\u201d, including was there any penetrative activity involving coercion, threats or use of violence, prolonged detention and severe psychological or physical harm to the victim.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Other aggravating factors included a &#8220;significant degree of planning\u201d, acting with others to commit the offence and &#8220;deliberate humiliation\u201d of the victim \u2013including filming of the offence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mitigating factors include no previous offences, good conduct or exemplary behaviour, being particularly immature and communication or learning disabilities or mental health concerns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">For the Attorney General to refer a case to the Court of Appeal with a view to increasing the severity of a sentence a high bar must be reached. It must be judged &#8220;unduly\u201d lenient and &#8220;manifestly inadequate\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Lord Chancellor and the Lord\/Lady Chief Justice are jointly responsible for disciplining judges for misconduct. They are supported by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO), which looks at complaints about how a judge has behaved personally.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It cannot be used to challenge a judge\u2019s decision, something that can only be addressed by appeal to a higher court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/judge-who-spared-teenage-rape-37207120\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Court of Appeal judges ruled that the sentence handed down by judge Nicholas Rowlands to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-24-at-104719.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}