Boy (14) charged with raping girl

A 14-year-old east Tyrone schoolboy has been in court charged with raping an eight-year-old girl

A 14-year-old east Tyrone schoolboy has been in court charged with raping an eight-year-old girl. The boy was remanded on personal bail of £50 when he appeared at Cookstown Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The alleged offence took place on March 11th and the boy also faces a charge of indecently assaulting the same girl four days later. A detective constable said when charged the boy replied "no" to both charges.

The detective said he was aware the boy had made verbal statements which he wished to reserve for the present. He told magistrate, Mr Maurice McHugh, he believed he could connect the boy to the charges and he asked for remand to enable him to complete his inquiries.