Teenager repeatedly raped schoolgirl when he was 15

A 17-year-old youth has been locked up after being found guilty of repeatedly raping a schoolgirl.

The youth, who was 15 years old when he attacked his victim in Aberdeenshire, was sentenced to three years and nine months.

A judge rejected a plea to spare the teenager a custodial sentence.

Lord Uist told the youth, who cannot be identified because of his age, that he had earlier pleaded guilty to two serious sexual offences.

The judge said: “Your crimes have had a severe psychological effect upon your victim.”

Sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh was deferred until today to get a background report and psychologist’s report on the accused, while previous hearings were put off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lord Uist pointed out the psychologist had said in his report that the teenager carried out several acts that were “extremely violent and appeared callous”.

The judge added: “Had you been older at the time of the offences the sentence would have been longer.”

Lord Uist also told the teenager that he would be placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

Defence counsel David Moggach argued the teenager’s case was “an exceptional one” that could be dealt with by a non-custodial disposal.

He said the offending occurred when the youth was 15 and had undiagnosed problems, which have since been diagnosed.

Mr Moggach said: “He has turned his life around with the help of others who were there to support him.

“There is in this case significant and very real evidence of him being able to rehabilitate himself and become a responsible young man.”