Teenagers walked free from court with fines of £26 after rapes of girls

Exclusive: Campaigners and victims call for urgent change after ‘laughable’ sentences for youths convicted of rape Three teenage boys convicted of the rape and serious sexual assault of girls as young as 14 walked free from court with fines of £26 each and rehabilitation orders, the Guardian has learned. The three separate cases all took place over the past year in north-east England. They were tried under youth court rules that deal with suspects aged 17 or under and place a greater emphasis...

By Vikram Dodd