Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has issued a warning over the increasing prevalence of sexual offences committed by children, noting that the average age of child-on-child rapists is now just 14.

She spoke out following public outrage at a case in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, where three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls aged 14 and 15 received youth rehabilitation orders instead of custodial sentences.The incidents reflect a broader trend: over 53 per cent of child sexual abuse cases involve perpetrators aged between 10 and 17.

Ms Phillips expressed concern that current sentencing guidelines, which treat custody for young offenders as a last resort, have not adapted to this rise in juvenile sexual crime.She criticised the approach of courts that appear to prioritise rehabilitation of offenders over justice for victims.

Factors driving the surge include increased exposure to online pornography and the use of sexual offences as content in what she called an 'eyeball economy'.

The situation has prompted Tory ministers to call for a review of sentencing guidelines for serious and sexual crimes, with the Attorney General referring the Hampshire case to the Court of Appeal for further examination.