Rapist freed as girl, 10, 'looked older'

A 20-year-old man who had sex with a girl of 10 was yesterday spared jail after a High Court judge agreed his victim looked older. Mr Justice Roderick Evans, one of Wales' most senior judges, said he understood why Liam Edgecombe, of Haverfordwest, thought the girl was 16. Taking that into account, he granted Edgecombe a conditional discharge despite him having admitted rape - an automatic charge for anyone who has sex with a child under 13. Apart from having to register with the police as a sex offender, no further punishment was imposed. Children's rights campaigners and politicians last night expressed outrage at the lack of a prison sentence, and were especially critical of the judge's comments that the girl "was looking for a man and got what she wanted". [...]

In Wales, England and Scotland, anyone who has sex with a boy or girl under the age of 16 has automatically committed an offence. If the child is 13 or older and consenting, that offence is classed as "unlawful sexual intercourse". But if they are under 13 the offence is rape. [...]

"His belief that she was over 16 was a reasonable one. It was not her first sexual experience."

source: Article < Rapist freed as girl, 10, 'looked older' > by Paul Carey; icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_headline=rapist-freed-as-girl--10---looked-older-%26method=full%26objectid=18860334%26siteid=50082-name_page.html; icWales; 5 April 2007