Migrant, 14, who raped girl allowed to walk free if he takes classes on consent
A small boat migrant who raped a teenage girl within three months of arriving in the UK has been allowed to walk free.
The Iranian teenager, 14, avoided youth jail as long as he joins an awareness programme that teaches consent.
The boy, who was living in foster care and cannot be named, attacked the girl, also 14, last September after they had been at the same school in Bedfordshire.
The youth entered the UK last June as an unaccompanied child migrant on a small boat, his trial heard.
In January, he was convicted of rape and two counts and sexual assault and was sentenced in mid-March.
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However he was not sent to a young offender institution because custody is considered a last resort in youth justice, The Sun reports.
Instead he was given a rehabilitation order, which included a requriement for him to join specialist sessions ‘on the understanding of consent, boundaries, and victim awareness’.
The judge also handed him a two-year exclusion order banning him from going back to the crime scene or surrounding area.
A source close to the family told The Sun on Sunday: ‘The victim’s family are furious. They’re outraged. This sentence is a total joke.
‘There has been no punishment. This isn’t a deterrent at all. The rapist is still free and could just do it again.
‘The victim has to carry this for the rest of her life, while he can just go out as if nothing has happened.’
The boy and his victim met at school before they bumped into each other on September 23 last year.
He forcibly led her to a row of bushes next to a skate park and forced her to the ground.
Cassandra Roberts, prosecuting, said the attacker asked the girl to ‘do stuff’ before overpowering her
Ms Roberts said: ‘She was saying “Get off me” and “No”, and this was ignored.’
The teen then wrote about the attack on social media hours after the rape.
The sentencing also sparked fury from the Conservative Party.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘This vile attacker should be locked up for his crimes. Custody should be the only punishment for rapists.
‘These attacks continue to happen under this weak Labour Government who have lost control of our borders.
‘The only way to fix this is the Conservative Party’s Borders plan — leave the ECHR so we can deport all illegal immigrants and foreign national offenders.’
There are no official sentencing guidelines for youths convicted of rape.
However other cases of 14-year-old rapists have been given four years in young offenders’ units.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: ‘This was a sickening crime, and our thoughts are with the victim and her loved ones.
‘Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary, but foreign nationals who commit these vile crimes will be deported at the earliest opportunity.’
Britain does not deport criminals to Iran as the nation is too dangerous.
Unaccompanied child asylum seekers are also generally not deported as they have more legal protections.
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