Sentences Increased for Sexual Offenders Under Unduly Lenient Scheme

Between January and March 2025, the Court of Appeal increased 33 sentences out of 48 cases under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, focusing heavily on violent and sexual offences against women and girls. Notable increases included Rico Persechino's jail term extended by six years for his role in an organized criminal group involved in burglaries and assault, and Ryan Sutton's sentence increased by three years for grooming and raping a 10-year-old he met on social media. Yusuf Kayat's sentence was also raised from 20 to 24 years for grooming and sexually abusing a child over 30 years prior, reflecting the court's stance on severe punishment for these crimes. The scheme aims to protect victims by ensuring harsher penalties for rapists, domestic abusers, and other violent offenders to restore public trust in the justice system. The Bombay High Court in India emphasized that consent cannot be presumed based on past sexual history and reinforced that rape is a grave violation of a woman’s bodily and mental integrity, commuting some life sentences to 20 years but upholding convictions. These developments highlight a broader judicial commitment to addressing sexual violence and ensuring that perpetrators receive sentences commensurate with their crimes.