The Peterborough Evening Telegraph

BOY RAPED WOMAN, JURY DECIDES

- By Stephen Briggs stephen.briggs@peterborou­ghtoday.co.uk Twitter: @PTstephenB

A teenager who raped a woman at knifepoint in bushes in Peterborou­gh - and sexually assaulted and robbed another female at the same spot - will be sentenced in the new year.

The 16-year-old boy attacked the two women within six days of each other near Rhubarb Bridge in the autumn last year.

While he was found to be not fit to stand trial, a hearing took place at Cambridge Crown Court to find whether he committed the acts or not.

The jury were told they could not return guilty ver- dicts - but after four hours of deliberati­ons they concluded the youth had committed the crimes.

Judge Jonathan Cooper adjourned the hearing until January 11. Two psychiatri­sts will carry out reports on the teenager ahead of sentencing.

There were tears in the public gallery where the boy’s parents were sitting throughout the case - although the boy did not attend the hearings. The teenager will be present at the next hearing.

The court had heard how the teenager raped a 24-yearold woman, who was walking along the footpath near to AMF Bowling off Bretton Way, near to Rhubarb Bridge on September 30. He was armed with a knife.

The jury was also told when the victim reported the attack to police, her shirt was examined for forensic evidence. DNA was found on the clothing, and it matched the boy’s DNA - with Duncan O’Donnell, prosecutin­g, telling the jury there was a ‘one in one billion’ chance the DNA could have come from someone else.

A second attack took place on Friday, October 6, when a 19-year-old woman was walking along the footpath which runs alongside the bowling alley, near to Rhubarb Bridge. The youth slapped her on the bottom, grabbed her arms and snatched her handbag. The victim later identified the boy during an identity parade.

 ??  ?? Police searching the area after the attacks
Police searching the area after the attacks

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom