A TEENAGER who took his nine-year-old neighbour to a den and sexually assaulted him has been put under supervision. Judge Michael Kay QC said he would have sent the 17-year-old defendant into custody for a considerable time, but for the fact he had a me

A TEENAGER who took his nine-year-old neighbour to a "den" and sexually assaulted him has been put under supervision.

Judge Michael Kay QC said he would have sent the 17-year-old defendant into custody for a considerable time, but for the fact he had a mental age of eight or nine.

He said: "The court is very troubled by this case. Your behaviour was totally unacceptable and it must have been a traumatic incident for the boy, and that is in the forefront of my mind.

"But although you are 17 you have a mental age far less than that, and you have shown remorse and accepted some responsibility.

"In the circumstances I don't think I have any option but to follow the recommendation in the pre-sentence report.

"However I am concerned that you are supervised closely and in particular I hope a place can be found for you on a sex offender programme."

The teenager, who lives in Letchworth GC but cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child under 13 and was given a two-year supervision order.

Jonathan Ingram, prosecuting, said the incident happened on April 27 last year. The two boys were playing ball over the garden fence when the defendant suggested they go to a "den" nearby.

It was there that the offence was committed but the boy told him to stop.

Fred Ferguson, defending, said: "He finds it difficult to mix with people his own age, younger people are his natural soul mates.

"This was not a case of a 17-year-old exploiting a nine-year-old but more a case of two boys the same age experimenting.