Rape victim 'lured' by text messages

The Old Bailey was told of threats made by the accused

A teenager accused of two rapes used text messages to lure a schoolgirl to meet him, a court was told.

The 15-year-old boy faces charges at the Old Bailey relating to the alleged rape of girls aged 14 and 13.

When arrested, the youth - who cannot be named for legal reasons - told police he had had consensual sex with one of the girls.

He denies two charges of rape said to have been committed in south east London in January this year.

Three meetings

Brian Reece, prosecuting, told the court: "He had been interested in getting to know young girls and had been casting around for mobile numbers."

The boy was given the number of his first victim - a 14 year old - and started sending her text messages.

The first time they met "it was perfectly clear the subject he appeared most interested in was sex", Mr Reece said.

The prosecutor said a third meeting happened in south east London when the girl was accompanied by a friend.

The group took a bus and ended up in a flat where the defendant is alleged to have carried out the attack.

The second alleged victim - aged 13 - met the defendant through the first girl.

She ended up in a flat and was allegedly forced into a bedroom by the youth where, the court was told, she was also raped.

She fled the scene and reported the incident to the police.

The trial continues.