Boy, 11, raped nine-year-old

A young boy who raped a nine-year-old girl during a game of hide-and-seek has been sentenced to 30 months' detention.

Kyle Abdo, of Wavertree, Liverpool, raped the girl on his mother's bed in the attack at his home last year.

The court heard that a DNA test on her underwear proved it would have to be a billion-to-one chance it was not him.

The judge at Liverpool Crown Court said Kyle had shown no remorse and lifted a ban on revealing his identity.

You have no remorse whatsoever and... are almost proud of your behaviour Judge Gerald Clifton

Kyle Abdo, who was 11 at the time of the offence, is one of the youngest children ever to be have been convicted of such an offence in this country.

Sentencing Abdo, who is now aged 12, Judge Gerald Clifton said : "Your victim has been deeply traumatised and acutely affected by this offence.

"Reports on you suggest that you have no remorse whatsoever and you continue to deny what you did and in a way you are almost proud of your behaviour."

Judge Clifton said despite DNA evidence, Abdo denied having any sexual contact with the youngster.

He told the boy: "You must be punished to reinforce the fact that this sort of behaviour is not accepted by decent people."

The jury heard how the girl and her mother had been at the boy's house in the Wavertree area on 4 April last year when the rape happened.

The two youngsters had been upstairs on their own playing hide-and-seek.

Foster care

The following day the girl broke down in tears and told her mother what had happened.

When interviewed by police she said that while hiding in his mother's room the boy had found her and told her to stay.

She objected but he threw her on to the bed before raping her.

Afterwards he just said "found you", and left the room, said Miss Julie Forsyth, prosecuting.

Abdo had denied the charges against him and claimed the girl had asked him for sex.

He was cleared of two further rape charges and one attempted rape, all relating to the same victim.

Stuart Driver, defending, said in mitigation that Abdo had been taken away from his family and put in foster care since the allegations came to light, which he described as a punishment in itself.

The defendant's mother was not present in court as she is unwell.