10/11/2008

Nine Schoolboys Face Jail For 'Punishment' Gang Rape

Nine schoolboys are facing years behind bars for carrying out a "punishment" rape on a 14-year-old girl.

The boys, who were aged as young as 13, snatched the girl from the street, and brought her to a nearby flat in King Edward’s Road, Hackney, east London on 30 April last year.

Snaresbrook Court heard how the 16-year-old ringleader of the group ordered the teenage girl to be punished for allegedly insulting his girlfriend.

The victim - now aged 16 - was then taken to another address on the Frampton Park Estate, where she was subsequently raped by the nine youths.

The court heard how one of the accused told the terrified girl: "I can't help you now, I'm with my boys."

Following a six-week trial, six of the teenagers were found guilty of all the charges they faced - 13 counts of rape, kidnap and false imprisonment. The other three pleaded guilty to rape, kidnap and false imprisonment before the trial. An order has prohibited the publishing of their identities.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC told the defendants: "This is a tragedy not only for your victim, who I think you now understand will never get over this, but it's a tragedy for you too.

"You have each been convicted of a terrible series of crimes and the only sentence I can pass will be one of custody."

Pre-sentence reports have been ordered by the Judge, who added: "They are very young - I want to know what’s been going on in their backgrounds."

(JM/KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

22 June 2012
Rochdale Paedophile Ringleader Named
The ringleader of a paedophile gang in Rochdale, who groomed young white girls for sex, has been named after being found guilty of 30 separate child rape charges. Shabir Ahmed, 59, led a child sex exploitation ring of nine men who targeted vulnerable young girls in the Rochdale and Oldham areas of Greater Manchester.
06 January 2015
Rape Investigation Against MP Mark Pritchard Dropped
An investigation into rape allegations against Conservative MP Mark Pritchard have been dropped, Scotland Yard has confirmed. Mr Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin in Shropshire, was arrested on 2 December, however he was released on police bail. He has now been informed no further action will be taken.
01 February 2006
Date rape case judges 'can influence trial outcome'
A judge's summing-up can influence a jury's decision in date rape cases, a report has suggested. The research, conducted for the British Psychological Society, presented 168 university students with a date rape scenario, which included a summing-up statement by the judge, and asked them to decide on the guilt of the alleged rapist.
30 November 2009
Festive Rape Awareness Highlighted
As the Christmas party season gets underway, police have launched a campaign to raise awareness of rape and warn female partygoers not to make themselves easy targets for rapists.
19 November 2014
Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Raping 15-Year-Old
Police investigating the alleged rape of 15-year-old girl in a park in south-west London have made an arrest. It is understood police were called to Grove Park in Carshalton at about 20:30 on Saturday to reports of a rape. Officers investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old on suspicion of rape.