Two teenage boys have been convicted of assaulting a girl in a disturbing 90-minute incident that involved coercing her into a sexual encounter. The assault occurred in an underpass in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. In addition to the first assault, they were also charged with assaulting another girl along with a third boy, who was 13 years old at the time.
The first boy was found guilty of one count of assault, while the second defendant was convicted of three counts of assault related to the initial incident on November 26, 2024. The first defendant was also found guilty of one count of assault and taking indecent photos of the victim. The second defendant was convicted of three counts of assault in connection with the second incident on January 17, 2025.
A third defendant, aged 14, was found guilty of two counts of assault by encouraging the second defendant during the January incident.
During the trial at Southampton Crown Court, it was revealed that the victim of the November assault, who was 15 at the time, had met the first defendant on Snapchat. She then visited him after he bought her a drink. The girl agreed to engage in sexual activity with the first defendant in an underpass, but the situation escalated when the second defendant and another boy arrived and pressured her into further acts, which were recorded.
The victim described feeling scared and trapped as the two defendants assaulted her, with the second defendant filming the incident. She mentioned feeling numb and helpless as the boys laughed and recorded the assault. The ordeal lasted around 90 minutes, during which the victim received derogatory messages.
In a separate incident in January of the following year, a 14-year-old girl reported being assaulted by the three defendants after being left alone with them. The first defendant allegedly threatened her and forced her to leave her phone with a tracking device before leading her to a field where the assault took place.
The case has been adjourned for sentencing reports to be prepared on the three defendants, who have been released on conditional bail.
