"Justice has been done": Jazmine's family respond to the Court of Appeal decision to send teen rapists to prison

Today, we welcome the judgment of the Court of Appeal and the fact that justice has finally been done. For more than 18 months, our daughter, our family and those closest to us have lived through a nightmare that no family should ever have to endure. From the moment these offences were reported, through the police investigation, the five-and-a-half-week trial and the original sentencing, the emotional toll has been immeasurable.

When the original sentence was handed down on 21 May 2026, it left us questioning whether the criminal justice system really serves victims. Today's judgment cannot erase what our daughter has suffered, but it does acknowledge the seriousness of these offences.

Yesterday, we heard submissions in court suggesting one of the convicted rapists had become a "pariah" because of media coverage, which had “exacerbated his punishment.” As Gisèle Pelicot said, “shame must change sides.” He is not the victim. If he faces public condemnation, it is because of his own decision to rape Jazmine.

We also reject the suggestion that a rapist's culpability is reduced because of additional needs. We believe that is stigmatising to the countless neurodivergent people who would never commit such crimes.

It was suggested that inaccuracies in some media reports, including references to a knife, were responsible for the criticism of HHJ Nicholas Rowland and a petition signed by over 300,000 people calling for his resignation. We do not agree. The public outrage was driven by the boys' horrific crimes and the judge's own sentencing remarks such as stating rapists should not be criminalised “unnecessarily”, not using the word “rape” when speaking to the boys, suggesting consensual sexual activity is relevant to culpability, stating there was no violence - but rape and recording it is violent, along with saying “it does not reach the high threshold of severe psychological harm”.

In Jazmine’s own words:

"I thought the sentencing hearing might help me.... Instead, I feel like everything has gone backwards. I feel more trapped than I did before. I feel like I am the one who has been sentenced. I feel like I am the one living in a prison, even though I did nothing wrong."

"The trial was horrific. … I was asked why I had two hands around the perpetrator’s penis … I felt like I was being treated like I had done something wrong…Then I had to sit there and hear it suggested that I was lying. That broke something inside me."

"I have felt like I want to die. I have attempted suicide a number of times and I have been in hospital after an overdose… I feel like I am surviving, not living."

"What happened to me has left me harmed so severely that I do not think I will ever be the same."

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr Charlotte Proudman and the team at Proudmans for supporting us pro bono and for their tireless work for ensuring Jazmine’s voice was heard and for helping us achieve this result.

Jazmine, like all victims in the criminal justice system, are not parties, they do not have legal standing, they do not have access to legal aid. Their voice is missing. The criminal justice system needs completely overhauling and victims need their own advocate in court.

We also wish to thank Laura Kuenssberg and the BBC for giving us a platform to be heard, Attorney General Lord Hermer for swiftly recognising the need for this appeal and his brave and courageous comments in a recent podcast which spoke to us, and Donna Jones and her team at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for their unwavering support throughout this process.

Finally, we would like to thank our friends and family who has stood beside us during this journey.

We are already making progress in establishing a foundation, Stronger than Silence, dedicated to supporting other survivors.

To survivors – have faith in yourself, seek support, and, where possible, do not remain silent.

Remember: we are always stronger than silence.

Donate to the Stronger than Silence foundation.