Attorney General refers 'unduly lenient' sentence of Hartlepool teenage rapist to Court of Appeal

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A Hartlepool teenager detained for a string of sex offences including rape is to have his sentence reviewed by senior judges.

Dominic Legg, 19, was sentenced to five years and nine months in a young offenders’ institution at Teesside Crown Court in November.

His crimes included four counts of rape and multiple sexual assaults committed against three traumatised victims.

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But the length of Legg’s sentence could be increased after being referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General after concerns it was too lenient.

Dominic Legg, 19, from Hartlepool was sentenced to five years and nine months' youth detention in November.Dominic Legg, 19, from Hartlepool was sentenced to five years and nine months' youth detention in November.
Dominic Legg, 19, from Hartlepool was sentenced to five years and nine months' youth detention in November.

Legg, previously of Harrow Street, Hartlepool, was found guilty of 13 sexual offences, committed while he was still a juvenile, after a crown court trial last June.

They included three counts of rape of a child under 13 and four of sexual assault of a child.

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November’s sentencing hearing was told Legg’s crimes had a hugely damaging effect on each of the victims, with one saying he “physically and mentally broke me”.

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Judge Chris Smith said: "Three young women have been really affected by what you did to them.”

He added he believed Legg had become sexually preoccupied while growing up.

The judge considered Legg presented a significant risk of committing further serious offences in the future.

He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.

But the judge also said a “very significant discount” had to be made when sentencing young people for sex offences.

The Court of Appeal in London is due to consider Legg’s sentence on Thursday, February 6.

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