Teenager is sentenced for rape of child

Teenager is sentenced for rape of child

25 January 2012

A TEENAGE rapist from Downpatrick has been committed to hospital for five years.

The youth, who is mentally handicapped and cannot be identified, was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court last Wednesday.

His victim was 12 years old at the time of the assault, which occurred in the Downpatrick area in December 2009.

A jury had previously ruled the defendant was unfit to plead but decided he had committed the act. At Wednesday’s sentencing hearing Judge David Smyth QC said a hospital order was the most suitable means of dealing with the case.

The youth has now been placed in the care of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. He is also subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which includes any direct or indirect communication with the victim and her family and his association with anyone under the age of 16.

In previous hearings various reports had been presented to the court on how best to proceed with the case.

A psychiatrist giving evidence said he was concerned at the teenager’s continued denial of the incident, and by his family not accepting he was responsible.

“There is a lack of insight and understanding of his offence,” he said. “He has consistently denied the offence and that has been reaffirmed by family support.

“He has continued to deny this despite evidence to the contrary. There is a high risk of committing further offences that would cause serious harm to the public.”

The psychiatrist added that in his view a restriction order was required alongside any hospital order to manage the defendant.

Defence barrister Eugene Grant QC said, however, it was not clear that his client was a risk to the public.

After hearing it would be difficult for mental health specialists to predict the length of the

hospital order until treatment was commenced, Mr. Grant also argued that an indeterminate hospital order would be unfair.