A teenage boy who raped a 12-year-old girl has been locked up for more than three years.

Bradford Crown Court was told that Liam Hollinger was only 15 when he pinned the young girl down and sexually assaulted her.

Judge Peter Benson sent Hollinger, now 16, to a young offender institution for three years and nine months and told him: "You forced yourself upon her and you tried to undress her and she protested. She told you to stop by struggling with you, by resisting with all her means. You should have been aware what you were doing was very wrong indeed."

The court heard Hollinger and the girl, who cannot be identified, were in an upstairs bedroom and had been kissing.

That was consensual, but then Hollinger tried to take off her clothing. She began struggling but he was too strong. He then put his hand over her mouth, raped her, and left without saying a word.

Hollinger admitted rape on the basis of the girl's age but claimed the sex had been consensual. However, at an earlier hearing, Judge Benson ruled that the girl had not consented and that Hollinger had forced himself on her.

The court was told Hollinger, of Moorcroft Drive, East Bierley, Bradford, has convictions for being drunk and disorderly and using racially aggravated words or behaviour. "His behaviour over the last 18 months has been very poor indeed," Judge Benson remarked.

Mitigating, barrister Sarah Barlow said Hollinger was not a sexual deviant and not a danger to the public.

Hollinger was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order which bans him from contacting the girl or entering school grounds without permission of the head teacher. He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register for ten years.