Boys, 13, face park rape charges

Two 13-year-old boys appeared before a court today after a girl was raped in a park.

The teenagers are charged with assaulting the girl, aged in her late teens, as she walked through Woodvale Park in north Belfast last month.

One of the boys faces four charges: rape; attempted rape; armed robbery and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The other is charged with attempted rape; aiding and abetting rape; armed robbery; GBH with intent and making threats to kill.

Neither boy, who appeared via video link in the youth court at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, can be identified because of their age.

They are being held at Rathgael Young Offenders’ Centre.

Both defendants were remanded in custody and ordered to reappear via video link on January 31 at the youth court.