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Sexual Offences: Young Offenders

Asked by Matt VickersConservativeAttorney GeneralTabled Answered 23 June 2026UIN 9388

The question

To ask the Solicitor General, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme in cases involving rape and serious sexual offences committed by youth offenders.

Answered by Ellie Reeves

During 2025, my office reviewed more than 1,000 sentences. Of these, 14 featured youth sentences imposed for sexual offences. So far during the first half of 2026, my office has already reviewed 9 youth sentences for sexual offences, and we are set to exceed last year’s figures.

The ULS scheme continues to be effective by allowing the victims of the most serious Youth sexual offences to have a voice in the sentencing of their cases.

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