TWO teenagers who raped a 13-year-old girl out walking her dog were yesterday jailed for nine years each.

Judge Peter Fox described the attack as the most degrading Teesside Crown Court had heard as he lifted the ban on identifying brothers Gavin and Steven Broadbent, of Billingham, Teesside.

The teenager was so traumatised by her ordeal, on June 7, last year, that doctors had to give her a general anaesthetic before they could examine her.

The court heard that the brothers were high on a cocktail of alcohol and solvents when they spotted the girl walking her dog in fields near Billingham, at 6.30pm.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said the dog had initially run snapping at the brothers and bitten Gavin on the leg before the pair snatched the lead from her and kicked the pet into the air.

As the youngster shouted to the pet to run home, the brothers rounded on her, pushing her to the ground.

Steven, 17, raped the girl first while Gavin, 16, pinned her down before the pair swapped over.

Miss Egerton said the girl, who had been a virgin, begged the brothers to stop what they were doing, but Gavin threatened: "Don't scream or I am going to kill you."

After they had finished, they told her to shut her eyes and when she opened them later they had gone.

Covered in blood, she staggered to a neighbour's house and raised the alarm.

The brothers were arrested for an unrelated offence and she picked them out 12 days later at an identification parade. The two were linked by DNA tests.

Paul Newcombe, defending Gavin, said he had written an apology and felt ashamed and disgraced by his actions.

Nigel Soppitt, defending Steven, said: "He recognises that this was a truly shocking crime for which he can proffer no explanation."

The pair pleaded guilty to a charge of rape each and were ordered to register as sex offenders for life.