Sunderland man jailed for having sex with girl, 12, he thought was grown woman

Robert Carrahar believed the person he was meeting up with was 18 but in reality she was just 12.

Newcastle Crown Court heard during a series of illegal encounters Carrahar had sex with the victim in public places, including an alleyway and a grassed area near some houses, four times.

Carrahar, 23, of Elstree Square, Sunderland, admitted four charges of rape of a child under 13.

Prosecutors accepted his guilty pleas on the basis he met the victim over a mobile phone app for people aged 18 and over, believed she was 18 at all times and that the sex was consensual.

Judge Christopher Prince sentenced Carrahar to five years and four months behind bars with a one year extended licence period and lifelong sex offenderregistration.

The judge told him: "There was no discussion between you of whether she had a job or similar.

"That you didn't engage in any such discussion or find out anything about her really is an aspect of your culpability, a complete lack of responsibility in your engagement of her.

"You didn't take any steps to determine anything about her, her age, whether she had any employment, how she engaged her time other than when she was with you."

Judge Prince said it would have been reasonably expected for Carrahar to "establish her age or sexual history" and said he showed a "complete lack of responsibility" by not doing so.

The judge added: "In mitigation, the most significant factor is your belief her age was above the age of consent."

The court heard Carrahar has never been in trouble before and was a plumbing apprentice before he was taken on by a car manufacturer.

Judge Prince said Carrahar is on the autism spectrum but has no learning or reasoning disabilities and his condition is "irrelevant" to his belief she was over the age of consent.