A teenager who raped a very young girl has today been locked up for 11 years as a judge branded him a 'risk to young girls'.
Amaan Ghafoor is still “in denial” after he was found guilty of rape unanimously by a jury following a trial last month, the court heard.
The 18-year-old was brought to justice after the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told of his “disgusting” and “horrible” actions when he was 17.
But Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, told Ghafoor at Teesside Crown Court: “She was too young, too naive to have fabricated that account.
“The fact that she was able to describe the event in such detail in my judgment convinced the jury that she could not have imagined it or fabricated it.
“There was certainly no reason for her to have lied.
“As to what made you carry out this dreadful act, only you know because you are still in complete denial as to having carried out that act.”
The judge said Ghafoor, in his “arrogance”, did not believe she would tell of what he did, or that she would be believed.
He said Ghafoor failed to recognise the effects of his behaviour on “a bubbly, lovely, normal child” who was too young to know it was a sexual act.
“You have no insight into the impact of your offending upon her, and the terrible consequences of your offending upon her," added the judge.
“It may be that you carried out this offence by way of sexual experimentation.
“It is clear to me that you at present pose a risk to young girls.
“It may be that as you grow older and become more mature, you will recognise the enormity of that which you have done.
“This is still a very serious offence and only a significant sentence can follow it.”
He locked up Ghafoor, who had no previous convictions, for 11 years.
Ghafoor was given a sexual offences prevention order and will be on the sex offenders’ register, both indefinitely.
Anne Richardson, defending, said college student Ghafoor was immature and insular, and he expected custody.
She added that the normal, loving and caring people who knew him “could not believe that he committed such an offence”.
Ms Richardson added the victim did not have to endure cross-examination in the trial and those around her made efforts to minimise the long-term effects on her.
“They have acted in a way that means that she is not constantly reminded of this,” she added.
“It is hoped in the passage of time that wounds will be healed.”
The judge said: “It may be, because of her extreme youth and her naivety, she will actually forget about this. I don’t know.”
In the trial, Ghafoor denied that he did anything improper.
He could not think why she would make up the allegation and said nothing could have been misconstrued by her.
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