Three Teenage Travellers Convicted for Snapchat-Groomed Gang Rapes in Hampshire
Three boys from traveller communities, aged just 13 and 14 at the time of the offences, have been convicted of raping two 15-year-old schoolgirls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. The convictions follow a five-week trial at Southampton Crown Court, where the court heard disturbing details of how the victims were groomed via Snapchat, lured to secluded locations, and subjected to gang rapes while the attackers laughed and filmed the assaults on their mobile phones.
First Attack: Underpass Assault After Snapchat Grooming
The first incident occurred in November 2024, when a 14-year-old boy contacted a 15-year-old girl on Snapchat and persuaded her to meet him for a date in Fordingbridge, a wealthy town on the edge of the New Forest. After spending time together in the town, he led her to a quiet underpass by the River Avon, where initial consensual activity quickly turned violent when two of his friends arrived.
The atmosphere changed dramatically as the two older boys pressured the girl into a threesome in the squalid outdoor setting. Over approximately 90 minutes, the victim was subjected to a humiliating sexual assault while the boys laughed, filmed each other, and took turns abusing her. In her police interview, played to the court, the girl described feeling petrified and fearing she would be thrown into the fast-flowing river if she resisted.
Prosecutor Jodie Mittell KC told the jury that the victim felt cornered and trapped with three boys taller than her, leading her to comply out of sheer terror. After the attack, the boys bought her a soft drink to cheer her up before leaving her at a bus stop, and the initial perpetrator promptly blocked her on social media.
Second Attack: Knifepoint Gang Rape Seven Weeks Later
Just seven weeks later, in January 2025, the two older boys—joined by a third boy aged 13—targeted another 15-year-old girl in Fordingbridge. After seeing her arguing with a friend, they approached her and insisted she accompany them, overriding her objections about getting into trouble with her mother.
The situation escalated when the boys made her drop her phone and an AirTag at a local Co-op supermarket, then threatened to kill her if she tried to run away. Marching her to a field behind Fordingbridge Recreation Centre, one of the older boys produced a knife, cutting holes in her clothing to facilitate the attack.
This time, all three boys participated in the gang rape, passing the victim between them while joking and filming the ordeal. Afterward, they walked away, leaving the traumatised girl to sit alone for 10-15 minutes before seeking help at a Tesco store and reporting the rape to police.
Aftermath and Social Media Sharing
The victim's ordeal continued as videos of the attack were widely shared on social media, leading peers to abuse her and call her a slag, with many mistakenly believing the incident was consensual. Meanwhile, the defendants' social media activity revealed a troubling bad boy image, with posts showing designer clothing, references to gangster lifestyles, and even illegal activities like lamping—hunting rabbits with lurcher dogs.
During the trial, the boys attempted to portray their victims as liars, with one claiming the second girl made it up to avoid trouble with her parents. However, the prosecution argued that the evidence clearly showed the girls were violated without consent, outnumbered and scared.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
The two older boys were convicted of rape and taking indecent images of a child, relating to the recordings of their attacks. The youngest boy was convicted of rape for his role in the second incident. All three now face custodial sentences, with the court emphasising the disturbing level of encouragement between them.
Lucy Paddick of the Crown Prosecution Service commended the victims for their courage throughout the trial, stating that the CPS will work tirelessly to pursue justice and hold perpetrators accountable regardless of age. The case highlights severe concerns about online grooming, youth violence, and the devastating impact of such crimes on young victims.
