A TEENAGER who raped a girl has been given a youth rehabilitation order in what was described as a “vanishingly rare” case.

The boy, now aged 17, admitted two counts of raping a girl aged under 13 in Bury.

The girl was aged 12 at the time, but Bolton Crown Court heard that she had consented to sex and the boy thought she was 14.

The offences came to light when the girl confided in a school nurse that she thought she could be pregnant.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested and interviewed by police.

At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty to two counts of rape which happened in late 2010 and early 2011.

Judge Peter Davies said they were very serious charges and that the case had troubled him greatly, and it was a difficult sentencing exercise.

He decided not to send the teenager into custody. The court heard he was of low maturity at the time.

The judge said it was remarkable that he was accused of one rape, but admitted two. He said that he thought the girl was 14 was an important factor. He said: “This is a vanishingly rare occasion.”

The boy was given a youth rehabilitation order with 18 months supervision and a 12-hour activity requirement.