A TEENAGE boy has been found guilty of raping two girls.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to five charges of rape of a girl and two of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Jo Kidd, prosecuting, told the court how the offences allegedly happened between July 2015 and January 2016 when the defendant is said to have raped the two girls on the upstairs landing of his family home.

She said the girls told police they had been raped by the teenager on at least two occasions in the presence of two other youngsters who were paid to be a “lookout”.

One of the youngsters said to have acted as a lookout gave evidence via video link yesterday (Thursday) and said he had never seen the defendant doing anything with the girls.

When giving evidence himself, the defendant, of County Durham, denied all of the accusations saying they had been made up by one of the girls’ relatives.

He said they were encouraged to make a complaint after reading the woman’s Take A Break magazine.

“She (the woman) drums things into peoples’ heads; things in those magazines she used to let the girls read. It makes her a bad person,” he said. “There were stories about kids being abused; people killing themselves and most of it was of a sexual nature.”

When cross-examined by Ms Kidd, the defendant admitted he lied to police about how his DNA could have been found in five pairs of the girls’ underwear, but said he could give no explanation as to how it got there.

Summing-up, Ms Kidd said the scientific evidence was “compelling and overwhelming”.

In his closing statement, Michael Clarke, defending, invited District Judge Kristina Harrison to consider that there was no medical evidence to support the rape claims.

However, Judge Harrison said: “Quite frankly, the idea of a girl being able to recount in such details from a magazine is nonsensical. I cannot find his version of events to be true in any way shape or form.”

Judge Harrison found the teenager guilty of all seven charges.

She ordered a report to be prepared on the youngster, who was given unconditional bail, and will sentence him next month.