Camilla Jessen
Teen tells court he “didn’t do anything wrong”.
A teenager accused of taking part in the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl told a jury he felt “happy” afterwards, insisting the sexual encounter was consensual.
The 16-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified due to his age, is standing trial at Minshull Street Crown Court alongside a 15-year-old boy, both charged with rape.
Prosecutors allege the boys took turns and swapped positions during an assault that took place in bushes near a tram stop in Rochdale. A third boy, now 14, who was allegedly involved, has been ruled unfit to stand trial.
Part of the incident was recorded on a mobile phone and later shared among the boys and others, the court heard.
Teen claims encounter was consensual
The 16-year-old told jurors the girl had agreed to go into bushes near the tram stop and that the sexual activity was “100 per cent willingly.”
Giving evidence, he said the group had been “running around, joking around town” before meeting the girl and her friend at the tram stop.
They then boarded the same tram, where he claimed there was “talking and flirting” during the short journey.
According to the boy, the conversation turned to “who fancied who,” and he said he asked the girl if she liked him.
“I asked (the alleged victim) did she like me and she said yes,” he told the court.
He also alleged there was discussion about having intercourse, claiming the group agreed to go into nearby bushes.
The boy said the girl had suggested getting condoms but that the boys had no money, and he claimed she said it was “okay to do it without.”
‘She voluntarily walked into the bushes’
The teenager told the court the girl “voluntarily walked into the bushes” and went in first.
He claimed she initially performed a sexual act on his co-defendant before doing the same to him.
When asked by his barrister Rachel Shenton if the girl had shown any sign she did not agree, he replied: “No, it was 100 per cent willingly.”
He also said nothing prevented her from leaving.
“She could have got up and walked out,” he told jurors.
The boy admitted he attempted to have intercourse with the girl but said he was not successful, telling the court it was his first sexual experience.
When asked if he knew what he was doing, he replied: “No.”
He estimated he was in the bushes for about six or seven minutes before leaving.
The teenager said he left because his phone had died and he needed to go home.
Asked whether he ran away because he thought he had done something wrong, he replied: “No.”
He told the court he went home, ate a sandwich, and later returned to town.
Snapchat video discussed in court
Jurors heard the boy later asked his co-defendant to send him a Snapchat video recorded during the incident.
When asked if he believed the footage showed a rape, he replied: “No.”
Asked how he felt afterwards about losing his virginity, the teenager told the court: “I was happy.”
However, he said he now feels “very ashamed.”
When asked why, he replied: “Because I am getting blamed for something I didn’t do. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The indictment includes five rape charges in total. Three counts are brought separately against each boy, while two additional counts are filed as joint enterprise charges, the jury was told.
Sources: Mirror, Manchester Evening News
