Nine Australian men convicted of raping a 10-year-old girl have had their sentences stiffened, after outcry over a judge's decision to spare them jail.

The group had originally walked free after a judge ruled that the girl had "probably agreed to have sex" with them in an Aboriginal settlement in 2006.

But Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine labelled the ruling "manifestly inadequate" and appealed.

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'Serious errors'

The original sentences, late last year, sparked public outrage.

The nine Aboriginal men had pleaded guilty to raping the young girl in the settlement of Aurukun in northern Queensland.

Six juveniles were placed on probation and convictions were not recorded against them. Three older men received suspended jail sentences.

As criticism of the judgement mounted, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was appalled by it and senior lawyers launched an appeal.

On Friday at the Court of Appeal in Brisbane, Chief Justice Paul de Jersey said the first judge had been wrong.

"The errors, and the resulting miscarriage of justice, were so serious and the circumstances in which they occurred so extraordinary as to warrant allowing the attorney general's appeals."

Three men were jailed for six years. One juvenile received three years' detention, another received two years.

Four other juveniles were put on probation for three years.

(BBC)

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