Teenage boy charged with Peterborough rape will face trial at crown court

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of raping the woman at Rhubarb Bridge in September last year.

The teenager appeared at Peterborough Youth Court last Friday (June 8), when he entered not guilty pleas to rape, robbery, possession of a knife and sexual assault.

At the first hearing, District Judge Ken Sheraton said the case should be heard at the youth court, and adjourned the case until today (Monday) for a case management hearing.

But today he agreed with submissions from prosecution and defence representatives that the trial should take place at Peterborough Crown Court.

The next hearing will take place at the crown court on Monday, July 16.

The youth was given bail until the next hearing.

The boy is accused of a raping a woman in her 20s, who was walking along the footpath near to AMF Bowling off Bretton Way, near to Rhubarb Bridge. It is alleged the boy had a knife.

A second attack is said to have taken place on Friday, October 6. It is said a 19-year-old woman was walking along the footpath which runs alongside the bowling alley, near to Rhubarb Bridge, when a male approached her and slapped her on the bottom, grabbing her by the arms and snatching her handbag before running off towards Bretton.

The youth cannot be identified due to his age, and a Cambridgeshire police spokesman said anyone who publishes anything which reveals the identity of the boy - including writing posts on Facebook, Twitter or other social media - could be prosecuted.

The spokesman said: “There are reporting restrictions imposed by the courts not to name this individual at this time due to his age. We would like to remind people that anyone who publicises any details which could identify him could face legal action.”