Table of Contents
- Reform UK's Commitment
- Mandatory Sentences for Child Rapists
- Statistics on Child Rape Convictions
- Details of the Policy
- Application to Historical Offences
- Government Response
- Campaign Focus of Reform UK
Reform UK has pledged to imprison child rapists for life if the party secures victory in the upcoming election, according to Zia Yusuf.
According to the plans put forth by Head of Policy Yusuf, offenders convicted of these “heinous” crimes would never be eligible for parole.
Zia Yusuf announced plans for mandatory sentences without paroleCredit: Getty
The stringent new law could be enacted if Nigel Farage’s Reform UK wins the electionCredit: EPA
Data shows there were 677 convictions for the rape of children under the age of 16 in 2024, referring to the number of convictions rather than the number of individuals convicted.
In a bold new policy, the party has stated it would enforce mandatory whole life sentences for adults convicted of child rape if Reform comes to power.
Additionally, it would guarantee that those sentenced to life would not be eligible for parole.
The policy has been “factored in” to Reform’s plans to alleviate capacity by deporting foreign criminals to their home countries and constructing “Nightingale prisons,” the party stated.
Currently, life sentences can be imposed on child rapists at a judge’s discretion under existing laws, with sentences ranging from six to 19 years for offenses against children under 13.
Whole life orders differ from standard life sentences, where a minimum term is served before parole eligibility.
These sentences are reserved for crimes deemed so serious that the offender should never be released from prison.
Reform expressed that its goal is for “mandatory minimums to apply to historic child sexual abuse to ensure that egregious historic crimes are also sentenced appropriately.”
The existing process for challenging lenient sentences can take months, and in some instances, the Attorney General’s office has not referred sentences to the Court of Appeal.
It was revealed last year that one member of a grooming gang convicted of raping a vulnerable teenage girl in the 1990s was sentenced to only four and a half years.
Reform UK aims for its stringent new sentences to apply to historical offenses, thus covering grooming gangs, even though typically criminals are sentenced according to the law in effect at the time the crime was committed.
Zia Yusuf stated: “For too long, Conservative and Labour governments have failed to safeguard our children.
“A Reform government will implement mandatory minimum life sentences for those who commit child rape. It is disgraceful that this is not already the case.
“It is a blemish on our national conscience that grooming gangs were allowed to operate for years without consequence, and in many cases, they still do.
“Under Conservative governments, the average sentence for the rape of a child under 13 dropped to as little as nine years.
“Some members of grooming gangs who raped children received sentences as brief as four years. Under Labour, violent offenders are now being released early from prison.”
A government spokesperson responded: “While sentencing is the responsibility of the independent judiciary, judges can and do impose lengthy terms, including life sentences, for these abhorrent criminals.
“Recognizing the national emergency that violence against women and girls has become, this Government is enacting the most significant reform of child protection measures in decades.
“We are establishing a clear legal obligation to treat grooming as an explicit aggravating factor in sentencing for child sexual offenses whenever it is relevant.
“The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is currently underway, with a chair appointed and progress being made toward providing answers for victims and survivors.”
This announcement follows Mr. Farage's commitment to prioritize addressing lawlessness in Reform’s campaign for the upcoming elections in the capital this May.
Last year, he pledged to reduce crime by half within five years if he becomes Prime Minister, which includes recruiting 30,000 officers, creating additional prison spaces, and deporting foreign national offenders.
Mr. Farage has appointed a detective who apprehended some of Britain’s most notorious rapists and murderers as his Police and Crime Advisor.
Colin Sutton’s proposals to enhance the safety of the UK streets include equipping every frontline officer with a Taser and reopening 300 closed police stations.
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage aims to implement significant changesCredit: Getty
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Eze Chidiebere Paul
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