Youth, 13, found guilty of raping boy on way to school

A 13-year-old youth has been found guilty of raping a 12-year-old boy as he made his way to school.

The teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, snatched the boy as he walked through Roe Green Park in Kingsbury, Brent, north-west London on the morning of May 16.

He kicked and stamped on his victim who was raped and forced to perform sex acts in a 30-minute ordeal, Willesden Youth Court was told.

When the victim was released just after 9.30am, the boy ran to school where teachers called 999.

The 13-year-old was himself an hour late for school, telling his teachers that he had been in the park with some friends and "didn't know where the time had gone".

He was arrested when police matched CCTV footage of him arriving at school to the description given by the victim.

Prosecutor Charles Royale said: "A DNA match was taken from the underwear he was wearing that matched both him and the victim.

"The Crown say that it's a compelling case with evidence so that you can be sure of his guilt."

The victim also picked his attacker out of an identity parade.

The 13-year-old denied the attack but refused to answer questions in his police interview and refused to give evidence at trial.

He also asked that none of his family members be present in court and was instead supported only by a social worker and an intermediary to help him with any legal language he didn't understand.

On Friday District Judge Mark Jabbitt found the boy guilty of one count of rape of a child under 13, one count of inciting a child under 13 in to sexual activity and one count of kidnap.

The court heard that the victim was slight for his age, and Judge Jabbitt said that the defendant may have deliberately targeted him because of his size.

Adjourning sentence until October 2, Judge Jabbitt said: "I think this defendant is unable to admit to himself or his family that he committed this violent sexual attack but the evidence that he did so is overwhelming.

"I'm satisfied he knew the victim was under 13, and I'm satisfied he singled him out precisely because he was so small and vulnerable."

He ordered that a pre-sentence report be prepared while the boy's defence barrister, Susan Wright, asked that a psychiatric report also be prepared.

The boy was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.