‘Laughing’ boys took turns to rape woman in underpass as one filmed 90-minute ordeal

Three boys aged 14 and 15 were convicted at Southampton Crown Court for their roles in the rape of two ‘petrified’ girls in separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire

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Three teenagers have been convicted for their involvement in the rape of two girls. The trial at Southampton Crown Court heard that two girls were raped in two separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, with the first attack occurring on November 26 2024 and the second on January 17 2025.

A 15-year-old boy was found guilty of one charge of rape and another 15-year-old defendant was convicted of three charges of rape in connection with the November incident.

The first defendant was also found guilty of one count of rape and the second defendant was convicted of three charges of rape in connection with the January incident.

A third defendant, aged 14, was found guilty of two charges of rape by encouraging the second defendant in the January incident.

As the verdict against the 14 year old was delivered by the jury foreman, a man in the public gallery began weeping and declared: “That’s my son” before being instructed to leave the courtroom by the judge.

The first defendant was also found guilty of taking indecent photos of a child and the second defendant previously pleaded guilty to four charges of taking indecent photos of a child.

Jodie Mittel KC, prosecuting, told the trial that the girl in the November incident, who was 15 at the time, had first encountered the first defendant when he sent her a friend request on Snapchat. The prosecutor revealed that the girl had journeyed from her home to meet him, and after he purchased her a bottle of Lucozade, they spent time chatting in the park.

She consented to go to an underpass where she agreed to engage in sexual acts with the boy, who was then 14, until they were interrupted by passers-by, the court was told.

The prosecutor stated that the girl became “scared and anxious” when the second defendant, who was 14 at the time, and a third boy, not the third defendant, arrived and began “pressuring her and they recorded her”, all whilst “laughing”.

The prosecutor shared: “The word she used to describe how she was feeling was petrified.

“(She) says she did agree but only because she didn’t know what would happen if she didn’t say yes.”

It was reported that the boys and the girl returned to the underpass where the girl felt “cornered and trapped” as the two defendants raped her and the second defendant filmed the incident.

Ms Mittel relayed that the girl described feeling “numb” and added: “She says she was shaking and saying the boys were just laughing and recording what happened.”

Ms Mittel stated that the ordeal lasted approximately 90 minutes, adding: “She was feeling sick, felt like she was about to pass out, the other boys were recording whilst she sat in silence trying her best not to cry.”

Ms Mittel revealed that videos of the incident were subsequently circulated and others made jokes about her, and she received messages labelling her a “s***”.

The victim in the January incident, who was 14 at the time, informed police that she had been with two friends before they departed, leaving her with three other girls prior to the arrival of the three defendants, Ms Mittel explained.

She stated that the victim alleges that the first defendant threatened her with a knife and instructed her to leave her phone equipped with an Airtag tracking device in a local shop before forcing her to walk to the recreation ground and a nearby field where the rape occurred.

Ms Mittel mentioned that CCTV footage did not display a knife and a female witness recounted the victim stating that she needed to “ditch” her phone so her mother couldn’t track her.

Judge Nicholas Rowland postponed the case until a date for sentencing reports to be compiled on the three defendants can be arranged, and granted them conditional bail.

Lucy Paddick, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This is a deeply concerning case which involved a disturbing level of encouragement between young boys, who acted together to rape two young girls in separate incidents.

“These girls were forced into sexual activity by boys who brazenly filmed the deeply distressing incidents.

“After speaking with the victims in this case and reviewing an extensive file of evidence, it was the Crown Prosecution Service’s case that these girls were violated and could not have consented to these terrifying encounters.

“The CPS worked closely with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to support the victims and other young witnesses to give their evidence, and we commend them for the courage they showed throughout this trial.

“Our lawyers will work tirelessly to pursue justice for victims, and we will continue to hold those responsible for crimes of this devastating nature to account, regardless of their age.”