BOY, 5, CLAIMS RAPE ORDEAL

Family’s fury as alleged teen attacker walks streets

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy who claims he suffered a serious sexual assault could be forced to move home to avoid his alleged attacker, who lives in the same street.

The little boy’s family have been left devastated after he revealed details of the alleged attack by a teenager in woods near his home in Irvine.

He had been playing in his garden under the watch of his mum but disappeared after she lost sight of him for a short time.

On discovering that her son was missing, the mum started frantically searching for him in the street.

She found him a short time later in the company of a 13-year-old boy in a nearby wooded area.

When they got home, she asked the boy what had happened. He then told his mum about the alleged ordeal he had endured at the hands of the teenager.

The five-year-old and his parents now risk meeting his alleged attacker every time they go out the front door as they live in close proximity.

The boy’s aunt said: “Everyone in the family is absolutely distraught. It’s horrific.

“It’s a living nightmare that we just can’t wake up from.”

The 13-year-old boy accused of carrying out the sex attack has been referred to the Children’s Reporter but continues to attend school.

The Children’s Reporter said they don’t have the power at this point to restrict the alleged attacker’s movements or force him to relocate.

They added they could only make such an order if the matter is referred to a Children’s Hearing.

The five-year-old boy’s family have now approached the local authority in an attempt to be rehoused elsewhere.

The aunt added: “Residents here are absolutely furious that the teenager is still living in the street and are considering a petition to have the family removed.

“This wee boy now needs to try to rebuild his life.

“He has been absolutely traumatised and is waking up every night having nightmares.

“This won’t go away. That wee five-year-old, even when he is 50 years old, will still be the victim.

“He’s not done anything wrong, that’s the saddest thing.”

Police confirmed yesterday that the incident had been reported to them.

A spokeswoman said: “It was around 9.30pm on Sunday, May 13, when police were called to a report of a five-year-old boy having been subject to a serious sexual assault in Irvine.

“Police attended and, following inquiries, a 13-year-old boy was the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal.”