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Family condemns 'soft' jail sentences for acid rape gang
Benedict Moore-Bridger20 Jan 2009
THE family of a 16-year-old girl who was gang-raped and then doused in caustic soda today condemned the "lenient" jail sentences handed out to three of her attackers.
The men were jailed for between six and nine years for repeatedly raping the girl - who has a mental age of eight - after luring her into a disused flat in Tottenham.
They were among a gang of up to 10 who had hoped that the powerful corrosive would destroy evidence, said Met police officers.
As the girl writhed in agony, they poured water on her, intensifying the burning, and laughed as they filmed her suffering on mobile phones.
Rogel McMorris, 18, from Stockwell, was jailed for nine years for rape and grievous bodily harm. Jason Brew, 19, from Tottenham, was jailed for six years and Hector Muaimba, 20, of Walthamstow, was given eight years for rape and robbery.
Stephen Bigby, who was charged with rape, was stabbed to death in a gang fight in Oxford Street before he could face trial. The girl has been disfigured for life and faces further surgery and skin grafts, as well as undergoing counselling for nightmares and panic attacks.
She told how she was unable to forgive her attackers.
In a statement she said: "I have tried to forgive them for what they have done, but it is so hard. I hope one day they will feel sorry for what they have done to me." Judge Shaun Lyons said the girl's life has been "ruined".
He said: "The life of this girl changed irretrievably on 9 January last year. It changed for the worse. In her eyes, and [those] of her mother's, her life was ruined. She has been left with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and scarring to 50 per cent of her body. It is doubtful what form her life will take and whether she can operate fully as a young woman."
The alarm was raised by a neighbour who heard the girl's "frantic" cries and found her covered with raw patches on her face and body. She was rushed to hospital and doctors feared she might die.
Speaking on behalf of the family, the teenager's uncle said: "The trauma, stress, depression and hopelessness have all been too difficult to bear.
"We know the sentence imposed on the perpetrators of this hideous crime against our daughter, whatever and however we feel about it, will not bring sufficient justice and healing to our daughter. However, our hope and trust is in God, on whose justice we can rely."
Lawyers have predicted the gang will serve only half of their sentences, minus the amount of time spent on remand.
Detective Constable Alex Newton said: "After all the work and the response of the community it feels like no sentence is any justice compared with what the victim has been through. But at the same time it sends out the message that these things will be prosecuted."
Reader views (40)
No words can describe enough how worthless these people are. From a report on a police web site I read that they were laughing in the dock and will only do half the time they were sentenced.
We should not waste money or vocabulary on them. They'll never add more than they'll take away. Burn them, hang them, decapitate them - whatever - just get rid of them.
- T., London, 04/02/2009 13:20
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They can never be let out of prison. How can they ever be trusted again. These humans have found a new low level. There are animals who are better than this.
- Tiatell, Norwich, uk, 27/01/2009 13:43
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Terrible and tragic that these 3 satanic punks got away with laughable light sentences, a 4th was killed in a bust-up on Oxford Street before trial (Rapist and torturer out on bail???) The British Police used to be so busy wasting tax-payers money harrassing and locking up mostly innocent ethnic youth in the 70's and 80's. Where are they now to deal firmly with the genuine psychotic evils in society? This country now has a real problem with delinquent youths gradually maturing into characters of a most despicable and disturbed nature, that too easily instigate and make jolly of horrendous crimes and suffering? Ironic now, how the UK Law enforcement and police authorities appear to have no idea how to handle the crimimal elements within a crumbling society ruled by this God-less, Hi-Tech de-moralised internet driven age. The Evening Standard owner Mr. Lebedev should buy the Police and Law enforcement too, maybe he can put some KGB style tactics and punishment into the picture and whip the nations troubled youth into reasonable shape so that they can make positive contributions to this morally ravaged and woefully depleted society.
- T, Brighton, 25/01/2009 00:40
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I simply cant understand how any human being can examine this case, see the evidence and then give out shorter sentences than (as someone else said) if someone were to get caught in a cinema with a camcorder.
- Clawz114, UK, 22/01/2009 17:08
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The sentences are disgusting.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 21/01/2009 14:36
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I am grievously disappointed with these sentences.
- Ross, London, UK, 21/01/2009 13:55
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And a non-violent animal rights activist gets 11 years on the same day. Make sense?
- Martin, victoria canada, 21/01/2009 13:44
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The scary thing is what has happened to the other 7 attackers who were there on the night this poor innocent girl was attacked. Having seen such a lenient sentence given, who's to say they won't try it again!
- Jh, London, 21/01/2009 13:02
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Madamj and Sam :These people are evil, nothing to do with the colour of their skin. Why should decent people like yourselves feel it reflects on them in any way? You're no more associated with them than I am.
- Ted, London, 21/01/2009 11:55
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This is one of the worst crimes I ever heard of.
- Margaret Salafrio, St John's Wood, 21/01/2009 11:43
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These animals should should serve at least 20 years each, this is not justice. The Judge who gave out these Sentences should be ashamed
- Mark B, Derby, 21/01/2009 11:42
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I am a black man and I feel that these men should have been jailed for life with minimal facilities. I am fed up with seeing these people that give black men, and all men, a bad name. Ignorant sentences for RAPE will only make the problem OF RAPE worse.
- Sam, Brixton, 21/01/2009 11:30
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The law makers in the UK will only ever change the laws if a crime of this nature ever happens to a member of their family and one day this will Then see all laws being passed.
- Goshypooh, Peterborough, 21/01/2009 10:53
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the crime and the sentences given speak volumes about the state of this country. There needs to urgent judicial reviews of a law that will sentence a criminal depending on the monetary value of their crime(ie bank robbery 20 yrs) or gang rape of a young girl (9 yrs) Absolute disgrace!!!!!!They should never see the light of day again
- Dave, liverpool, 21/01/2009 10:50
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Madamj, London........As a black man I totally agree with you.NOBODY is perfect ,that includes me, however most decent people know there's a line that you simply don't cross. It's people like them who tar all black men with the same brush and I urge any black man or women with decent morals to express there disgust of the brutal rape of the victim by supporting the comments of Madamj, London and myself.
Don't forget,but for the grace of God, it could have been YOUR mother,sister,aunt,daughter.
- Sam, london, 21/01/2009 10:29
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i am unsure where to begin. this act has shocked and effected the british public in a way that clearly calls out for at least life in prison for each of the small minded thugs. this girls life has been seriously affected and has now have to face the fact she could be seeing her attackers on the streets again in under 10 years. a disgrace and it shows how lenient the justice system is. i call for majour re investigation and life in prison. atleast 25 years each with no parole. the justice system is a joke and criminals will take majour advantage until it has changed.
- Fraser, dorset, 21/01/2009 09:48
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the sentence is a joke.
- Mbichuo, bamenda, 21/01/2009 09:12
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I dont understand why the taxpayer should pay for keeping these kind of people behind bars.
- Nikos, Nicosia, CYPRUS, 21/01/2009 07:11
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Why should they come out after there short sentence and live a normal life whilst this young woman continues to suffer. I think these cockroaches need a resentencing... No TV, No Playstation, No Internet, No Pool, No 3 course meal, No comforts, give it to them rough. Then we will see who is suffering...
- Atkins, Southwark, 21/01/2009 00:00
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To Joe M, maybe in Nova Scotia the sentences may be soft but in Ontario they are much harsher than the UK
- John W, hamilton canada, 20/01/2009 23:14
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The issue is purely and simply that these thugs are a disgrace to the human race. They disgust me to my core and, as a black woman, they make me ashamed. I am also dismayed that their sentence is so soft - 30 years minimum; that's what they should get. One of the suspected rapists is now dead!
- Madamj, London, 20/01/2009 16:16
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Horrendous. What is wrong with the "justice" system in Great Britain??? It is practically on the same level as Canada's (one of the softest in the world).
- Joe M., Nova Scotia Canada, 20/01/2009 15:57
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They should be 20 years at least.
- Harry The Bull, London, 20/01/2009 15:55
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DISGUSTING............Thats all i can say. There is just no justice in this country.
- Yasmin, London, 20/01/2009 15:42
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It is unbelievable that such lenient sentences were handed down to the perpetrators of such a heinous crime and constitutes an insult to the victim and her family.
- Jm, Valencia, Spain, 20/01/2009 15:04
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I would have thought a life sentence standard for such a brutal and premeditated rape and near torture. This sentence not only makes the rape, kidnap and use of acid to disfigure this girl appear not as serious as it. It also doesn't take in to account the lose of confidence girl has had, which will take years (if ever) for her to get over.
- Ben S, London, 20/01/2009 15:03
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The sooner that the odious Straw and soft [in the head] McLabour are voted out, the better!
- Dave, cumbria, 20/01/2009 14:51
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The law courts, judges, and the govt do not give a damn about the horrendous acts of depravity and crime that are happening in our cities on a daily basis, in fact they offer no solice to the victims of crime, but seem to only afford rights to the perpertraitors of these evil deeds.
- Brian, Wiltshire, 20/01/2009 13:25
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I am astounded at the leniency of these sentences and would like to know why some of the rapists have been let off entirely. I just don't get it at all.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 20/01/2009 13:25
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These three are disgusting animals. They deserve a life sentence and that should mean life - NEVER LET THEM OUT! It is abhorent that these three will be free to do it again in six years cos sure as hell they won't serve 9.
- Sandy, Southampton, 20/01/2009 13:22
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Now if they had been convicted of recording a film in a cinema, they could have been sent down for 10 years and received an unlimited fine.
Welcome to Britain, the land of Criminal Injustice.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 20/01/2009 13:09
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Why aren't the CPS appealing against the low sentences? This is an offence which carries a sentence of Life Imprisonment, but which is rarely used. why not? These people are animals. They do not deserve to be out in three years or so!
- Paul Bradford, Monflanquin, France, 20/01/2009 12:56
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Disgusting - these men should have been given a much longer sentence. What a joke!
- Jk, London, 20/01/2009 12:49
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These sentences are a scandal. This was not just a brutal rape, it was also the deliberate and sadistic maiming for life of a mentally disabled woman, an act of pure and premeditated evil. It is impossible to concieve of such a crime with more aggravating features, therefore no sentence short of the maximum should have been considered.
- Nigel, London, 20/01/2009 12:18
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i agree with the family this sentence is a joke they should never be relased there the scum of the earth
- Mat, london, 20/01/2009 12:17
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This is a totally heinous act of contemptuous evil against this poor child and her family!
This law system is a disgrace and a joke to the whole world!
- Valerie, Hampton Middlesex, 20/01/2009 12:15
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They should never be let out, ever.
- Andre, london, 20/01/2009 11:57
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Blame NuLabour! They let these people into this country.
WHY!
- Les, Middlesbrough, UK, 20/01/2009 11:50
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Welcolme to Britain.
- Richard, London, 20/01/2009 11:47
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Not long enough! 20 years would be not long enough. TEN of these cowards did this - not one person. Not only they did they take advantage of this poor intellectually disabled girl but the fact that they poured caustic soda on her and FILMED IT only shows that the scum didn't care about her and what that acid would do to her. The parents should appeal that lenient sentence - they SHOULD HAVE GOT A LOT LONGER. Justice has not been done - they are SCUM...... Not much for a ruined life is it? If you robbed a shop you would get more.
- Barbara, sydney, Australia,, 20/01/2009 10:41
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