A Northern Ireland man has admitted raping a 12-year-old girl and leaving her pregnant.

Conaire Adams-Whyte confessed at a sitting of Belfast Crown Court.

The 20-year-old from the Springfield Road area of west Belfast was freed on bail and is now living at a secret address after being threatened by dissident republicans.

He is also banned from having any contact with a second son who he fathered at the same time.

Adams-Whyte pleaded guilty at a court sitting last Wednesday.

His admission means new details can be reported about the way he took advantage of his schoolgirl victim.

The sex offender, who also uses the nickname 'Mitch', has a female relative who was good friends with the 12-year-old's mother.

The woman was supposed to be baby-sitting the child, but was not at home when she was dropped off at her house in July 2015. However, Whyte was inside the property and he raped the schoolgirl, who told her mother what happened afterwards.

The sex attacker was arrested and denied even touching his victim.

As part of their investigation detectives took DNA samples from him - something that would later prove crucial in determining his guilt.

Two months after her rape, the 12-year-old found out she was pregnant.

Adams-Whyte was arrested a second time, and once again denied any wrongdoing.

But when the baby was born earlier this year it was DNA tested and he was found to be the father.

He was immediately charged with rape and last Wednesday, a full 16 months after sexually assaulting the vulnerable schoolgirl, he finally admitted his guilt.

Not only will Adams-Whyte be prevented from having anything to do with the child he fathered, he is banned from seeing a second son he had with his ex-girlfriend just months earlier.

Adams-Whyte has also been told he is no longer welcome in west Belfast, and is understood to be under threat from dissident republicans.

One source told the Sunday Life: "Conaire will be risking his life if he comes back here, the community is outraged at his behaviour. Not only was his victim just 12 years old, she is also extremely vulnerable.

"That b*****d took advantage of that, raped her, got her pregnant, then denied being the father until DNA evidence proved otherwise."

Belfast Telegraph