A TEENAGER from north Cumbria who began sexually abusing a four-year-old girl when he was eleven has been put on the Sex Offender Register.

An earlier court hearing was told that the 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, twice raped the girl. He admitted five offences.

Those offences - all but one relating to the same girl - were the rapes, inciting the same victim to engage in sexual activity on at least ten occasions; making indecent 12 photos of the same child; and voyeurism involving a female adult.

During an earlier hearing, the prosecutor in court said the offending came to light when child protection officials were contacted by the boy’s maternal grandmother and the teenager's father. They had come into possession of the defendant’s mobile phone.

On that device the father found a folder containing “selfie-style” videos which showed the boy with the victim in various sexual situations. The family discussed what was found and felt it appropriate to contact the authorities.

After this happened, the boy was arrested, and then allowed to stay at the home of a relative, though he continued to have access to an X-Box.

“The defendant’s grandfather received communication from Microsoft; the (defendant’s) user profile had been suspended due to inappropriate activity,” said prosecutor George Shelley.

Police found concerning search queries on the boy's phone, including a question about whether it was “fine to have sex at four.” This too was reported to the police, leading to a forensic examination of the boy’s phone.

On the device police found 12 indecent thumbnail images of a young girl, thought to be the child sexually abused by the defendant. There were also two videos; one showed an adult female undressing.

During the sentencing hearing at Carlisle’s Rickergate court, the teenager's mother sat at his side to support him.

“These are incredibly serious offences,” District Judge John Temperley told the teenager.

But, noting the boy's age when he offended - between 11 and 13 - the judge said an overarching principle in youth justice is the need to sentence in a way that reduces or prevents further offending and achieves rehabilitation.

Custody was always a last resort.

Despite aggravating factors, said the judge, the defendant also had the advantage of mitigating factors, particularly a psychological report that confirmed he was suffering various mental health conditions.

There had been a clear “lack of supervision” and “exposure to pornography,” said the judge.

“You are described as a victim of neglect,” continued the judge.

“In my judgement I don’t need to send you to custody… I think there is a real prospect of rehabilitation if you comply with the orders I am about to impose. So, for that reason, I draw back from imposing a custodial sentence.”

He imposed an “intensive referral order” that will last for a year. Any failure to comply with the order could lead to its revocation and resentencing.

Approving a five year sexual harm prevention order, the District Judge said police had identified concerns linked to the teenager’s social media use and his “high level of sexual preoccupation.”

The order includes various conditions, including the obligation to submit on request after the age of 18 to police lie detector testing.  The youth will be 21 when the order expires.

The earlier hearing heard a victim impact statement from the girl’s mother. She said her daughter wanted to tell the defendant what he had done was wrong. She said it was sad for a child so young to have something like this hanging over her.