Teenager denies rape of 15-year-old at army training camp
A 17-year-old boy is to stand trial for the rape of a teenage girl and the sexual assault of another while attending an army cadet training camp in Shropshire.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 15 at the time of the alleged offence on October 25, 2021, Telford Youth Court sitting at Telford Justice Centre heard on Wednesday.
The court was told that the boy was in the cafeteria of the training camp at around 9pm before he took his alleged victim into a toilet where he is said to have raped her.
On the same day, it is alleged he committed two sexual assaults on another 15-year-old girl at the camp.
The boy, who denies one charge of rape and two charges of sexual assault, is to be tried at the youth court at a later date rather than be sent to crown court, District Judge Kevin Grego ordered.
However, the judge slammed the length of time it had taken for the case to appear before him.
He said it was "unacceptable" that youth witnesses and a youth defendant had to wait two or more years before a case was heard, adding that he was determined to hear the trial before the boy turned 18.
The boy was bailed to appear at a case management hearing at Cannock Magistrates Court on June 16 where a trial date will be set.
