The comments made by Cheryl de Freitas, the Chief Operating Officer of the Youth Justice Board, on 26 May 2026.
Confidence in the justice system matters, particularly in cases involving violence against women and girls and it is essential that public concern is not dismissed.
It is also important that individual judges and frontline youth justice services are not unfairly critiqued for applying the legal framework and the evidence they are required to consider in youth cases.
The overwhelming majority of children do not commit offences of this seriousness. But where they do, the response must balance accountability, public protection, victim harm, deterrence, and the long-term goal of preventing future violence.
Above all, we must acknowledge the immense bravery of the girls who came forward, whose courage in speaking out is paramount as we work to ensure justice and safety for all victims.
We welcome the Attorney General’s review of this case and will not be commenting further as we await the outcome of this review.