A TEENAGER is beginning his first custodial sentence following his conviction for the rape of a young woman at a post prom house party.

The 16-year-old youth, aged 15 at the time, attacked a felllow partygoer when revellers shared bedrooms following the end of term celebration.

Durham Crown Court heard there were “unfortunate sleeping arrangements” at the house in Consett, as those present retired to bed after drinking until about 4am.

The victim was sleeping with another girl in a lower bunk, while the defendant and another male were in the upper bunk.

Simon Reevell, prosecuting, said the other girl in the lower bunk got out and left the room, which is when the defendant took her place, next to the victim.

Mr Reevell said she awoke to see the defendant leaving the bedroom and became immediately aware that something was amiss.

He said she then told other girls in the next bedroom what had happened, but was met with, “a less than sympathetic response”.

She, therefore, contacted a family friend and was collected from the house before police were informed.

Mr Reevell said forensic evidence suggested unprotected sex had taken place and the defendant was arrested.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police he got up during the night to visit the bathroom and on his return was enticed by the girl into her bed, where consensual sex took place.

Having denied a charge of rape he adopted the same defence at his trial, at the court, last month.

But a jury returned a unanimous ‘guilty’ verdict on the fourth day of the hearing.

On his return for sentence today (Tuesday November 4), his barrister, Joe Hedworth, said the defendant still denies committing the offence.

Mr Hedworth said: “He’s already received the most significant punishment since the verdict, being labelled a sex offender at such a young age.

“He’s been verbally abused and physically attacked in the street, leaving him with a black eye. He’s not fixated with young girls.

“This was his first sexual experience, and there are no previous examples of him behaving in a sexually inappropriate way.”

Mr Hedworth urged Judge Robert Adams to take an exceptional course and avoid passing a custodial sentence, which the “immature” defendant would find harder to endure than more criminally sophisticated youths.

Imposing three years’ youth detention, Judge Adams said he would be failing in his public duty not to pass a custodial sentence.

The defendant will be subject to indefinite registration as a sex offender.