Boy, 12, is one of UK’s youngest sex offenders after repeatedly attacking seven-year-old girl
He was accompanied in court by his dad after carrying out the attacks while he was still in primary school
A SCHOOLBOY aged just 12 has been ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register after he repeatedly attacked a seven-year-old girl just days after his 11th birthday.
The child is one of the youngest people in Britain to sign the Register which monitors the whereabouts of convicted paedophiles and rapists.
The boy – who is too young to be named - was initially charged with rape but the girl's mum refused to let her daughter undergo an intimate medical examination.
Today he was accompanied in court by his dad where he admitted the lesser charges of sexual assault and inciting sexual activity with a child. The rape charge was withdrawn.
The assaults took place between December 1 2014 and January 1 2015 after the lad, from Droylsden, Greater Manchester had celebrated his 11th birthday and when he was still at primary school.
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The girl was the younger sister of one of his friends.
Manchester youth court was told the boy attacked the victim on up to three separate occasions.
In interview the seven year old said the incidents felt 'strange.'
Prosecutor Andrew Haye told the court: ''The defendant now aged 12 was 11 at the time of the offence. The complainant was seven at the time of the offence.
''With both types of offences the complainant did not consent and the defendant clearly knew the complainant did not consent. This is not a case of juvenile sexual experimentation.''
The boy who dressed in a hooded jack stood silently with his hands clasped in front of him as he was sentenced to a 12 month referral order on the recommendation of youth workers.
He was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for two and a half years.
He spoke only to confirm his name and personal details and that he understood the sentence. No mitigation was given on his behalf.
District Judge Mark Hadfield told the boy: ''These offences are very serious offences dating back almost two years. You were friends with the two brothers of the complainant. You took the opportunity on three occasions to engage in sexual acts with this young girl.
''The reports say that you knew what you were doing was wrong - yet you still continued doing it and this causes me some concern.
''You are fortunate you are 12 years of age as the sentencing options of the court are somewhat limited. I say that so you realise how serious these offences are and how serious they would continue to be. I hope these three offences are isolated episodes.”
In 2012 a boy from Bolton, Greater Manchester was locked up for four years after he raped two little girls when he was just 11.
In May 2010, boys aged ten and 11 became Britain's youngest sex offenders when convicted of trying to rape a girl of eight in Hayes, West London.
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