Hathaway, Victoria

Victoria Hathaway was convicted at Ipswich Crown Court in May 2009 of rape of a male child under 13, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child, and possession of indecent photographs of a child. She received a sentence of Detention for Public Protection in a Young Offenders Institution (DYPP) with a minimum tariff of 6 years, less 215 days on remand. 

She was 19 at the time of sentencing. Leave to appeal the length of the notional determinate term was granted by the Single Judge in February 2010. On 31 March 2010, the Full Court considered the length of the notional determinate term and reduced it from 12 years to 8.  This reduced the minimum term of the DYPP to 4 years, less 215 days spent on remand.

Ms Hathaway applied unsuccessfully to the CCRC in November 2012, April 2013 and June 2018. She applied again in June 2025.  

Reviewing this case, the CCRC considered the impact of recent Court of Appeal judgments, in particular R v Williams [2024] EWCA Crim 686 and R v Davis & Others [2026] EWCA Crim 743, and concluded that there was a real possibility the Court would find that the sentencing judge did not give sufficient weight to the age and immaturity of Ms Hathaway when assessing her dangerousness and future risk.   

The CCRC referred the sentence in September 2026.