The former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has said victims of sexual offences committed by children are being asked to “suck it up” for the sake of their attackers’ rehabilitation and called for a review into sentencing guidelines.

In the past month, cases of teenage boys given lenient sentences after being convicted of rape and sexual assault have provoked public outrage.

In Fordingbridge, Hampshire three boys were given youth rehabilitation orders after two were convicted of rape and one was convicted of involvement in the attacks on two girls aged 15 and 14.…