'Epidemic of violence against women and girls' prompts Harrogate MP to raise questions in Parliament
Harrogate’s MP has raised his growing concern over the rising prosecution rates for violence against women and girls.
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, put questions directly to the Solicitor General in Parliament about public confidence in the criminal law system in light of recent figures and news headlines.
“Violence against women and girls remains unacceptably high," said Mr Gordon. "My inbox has been flooded with people concerned about cases like Fordingbridge. “Cases like these have a terrible impact on the victims of these crimes and others as they lose yet more faith in the criminal justice system. “We must fight for a system that victims can trust."
The Harrogate MP’s intervention follows comments by the Attorney General Lord Hermer that there is “an epidemic of violence against women and girls in this country”.
The Attorney General confirmed last month that the sentences against three teenage boys in the Fordingbridge rape case were to be referred to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
Two girls, then aged 15 and 14, were raped in separate incidents in Fordingbridge in November 2024 and January 2025, by two 14-year-olds.
Another boy, then 13, was also convicted for his involvement in the second attack.
The teenagers were given youth rehabilitation orders (YRO) and walked out of court with ten rape convictions between them.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Tom Gordon MP asked what further actions were being taken to ensure they were “prosecuted and treated with the gravity they deserve, and that justice will be delivered for victims?”
The Minister, Ellie Reeves KC MP, who oversees the Crown Prosecution Service, highlighted the increased number of barristers available to prosecute rape cases and money set aside for independent legal advisers for adult victims of rape.
She also elaborated on the enhanced service offered to rape victims by the CPS, including dedicated victim liaison officers and victims being offered a meeting with the prosecution team ahead of trial.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called the Fordingbridge case "distressing" and said "there are questions about the sentence".