Boy who raped sister after watching pornography sentenced Published duration 3 March 2014

A 12-year-old boy who raped his seven-year-old sister after watching hardcore pornography on the internet has avoided a custodial sentence.

The boy, now 13, pleaded guilty to rape, two counts of indecent assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Blackburn Youth Court heard he had viewed pornography with friends and gained "a desire to try it out".

Social workers are working to return him to the family home soon.

'Disgusted'

The boy is currently living away from the family home but in a victim impact statement his sister said she wanted him to return.

"I feel sad what [he] did," she said. "I want him to go to our house so I can play games with him. I love [him]."

In a statement, the offender said he was "disgusted" with his crimes, which were committed between March and May of last year, and promised there would be no repeat of them.

Sentencing the boy, District Judge James Prowse said he thought it "highly improbable" he would reoffend in the same way and imposed a 12-month referral order, on the recommendations of a youth offending team.

Detaining the teenager would "tear the family apart" and expose him to "hardened and sophisticated" youth offenders, Judge Prowse said.

The judge, who described the boy as "unsophisticated" and "immature", said the teenager did not represent a danger to society.