Two boys aged 10 and 11 were found guilty today of the attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl, but a jury at the Old Bailey found the pair not guilty on charges of rape.
The jury found the children guilty by a majority of 10 to two on two charges each, making them among the youngest defendants ever to be convicted of the crime of rape by a British court. As the verdicts were read out the younger boy sought eye-contact with his mother but both mothers stared straight ahead.
The girl claimed last October that the boys had dragged her to a block of flats and kept her in a bin shed as they repeatedly raped her near her home in Hayes, west London, but she later retracted the story during cross-examination, saying she had made it up to avoid getting into trouble.
The boys were released on conditional bail while reports are drawn up and will return to court at a later date for sentencing. None of those involved can be identified for legal reasons.
The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, thanked the jury for deliberating in what was a âtraumaticâ case. âThese cases are not easy. Fortunately, they are infrequent,â he said.
He invited those present to send any âobservations about the processâ to him, adding that he will be sending his âviewsâ to those in charge of the judicial system.
The victimâs mother reported the case to police last October after an incident in which her daughter disappeared while playing outside their home during half term.
As she searched for her, the woman was told by another child that two boys had taken her daughter away and were hurting her. The girl later told her mother they had been âdoing sex with meâ.
However under cross-examination the girl, who gave evidence via video link from an annexe to the court, said she had made up the story because she was afraid of getting into trouble for being âa bit naughtyâ after the children showed each other their genitals. She said she had thought she might not be bought sweets if she had told the truth.
More info here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7135190.ece
The jury found the children guilty by a majority of 10 to two on two charges each, making them among the youngest defendants ever to be convicted of the crime of rape by a British court. As the verdicts were read out the younger boy sought eye-contact with his mother but both mothers stared straight ahead.
The girl claimed last October that the boys had dragged her to a block of flats and kept her in a bin shed as they repeatedly raped her near her home in Hayes, west London, but she later retracted the story during cross-examination, saying she had made it up to avoid getting into trouble.
The boys were released on conditional bail while reports are drawn up and will return to court at a later date for sentencing. None of those involved can be identified for legal reasons.
The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, thanked the jury for deliberating in what was a âtraumaticâ case. âThese cases are not easy. Fortunately, they are infrequent,â he said.
He invited those present to send any âobservations about the processâ to him, adding that he will be sending his âviewsâ to those in charge of the judicial system.
The victimâs mother reported the case to police last October after an incident in which her daughter disappeared while playing outside their home during half term.
As she searched for her, the woman was told by another child that two boys had taken her daughter away and were hurting her. The girl later told her mother they had been âdoing sex with meâ.
However under cross-examination the girl, who gave evidence via video link from an annexe to the court, said she had made up the story because she was afraid of getting into trouble for being âa bit naughtyâ after the children showed each other their genitals. She said she had thought she might not be bought sweets if she had told the truth.
More info here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7135190.ece
wtf...
