HARTLEPOOL 15-YEAR-OLD BOY JAILED FOR ATTACK AND ATTEMPTED RAPE
A SCHOOLBOY who attacked and attempted to rape a sixth form girl was sentenced to four years behind bars yesterday.The 16-year-old girl was left battered and bloodstained after a night out celebrating the end of GCSE exams.
Glen Coltman, now 15, was convicted of attempting to rape her after spending £30 on drinks in pubs and clubs in Hartlepool.
The girl told a jury that she was too drunk to recall anything, except trying to push someone off her.
At Teesside Crown Court, Judge Peter Fox QC said there were lessons to be learned by parents, teachers and the town's magistrates over the problem of under-age drinking.
The judge told Coltman: "You were fuelled by drunken rage, frustration, anger and lust, and gave her a terrible beating." Posters of his battered victim were displayed in Hartlepool.
She suffered a cracked jaw, four broken teeth, a bloody nose, and was covered in bruises.
Coltman admitted bodily harm assault after she spurned his advances, but claimed that he did not try to have sex once she resisted.
Judge Fox said: "This dreadful experience will stay with her for life.
It is to be hoped she will get things back together again." The judge said: "The evidence disclosed a very worrying state of affairs.
I hope parents and teachers will try to exercise a greater degree of care to stop uncontrolled drunkenness by under-age children.
It seems there was far too much drinking up to midnight in several licensed premises by boys and girls as young as 14.
I invite the police and magistrates to consider this when applications are made for renewal of licences." Tim Roberts, mitigating, said: "His mother feels great regret at having sanctioned this one night out drinking.
Glen is not the callous, drunken, selfish and uncaring youth that one might gather from listening to the evidence in this case.
His violence was born out of frustration after giving up hopes of sexual activity." Closed circuit TV showed Coltman leading the girl away from their gang of tipsy friends.
Screams were heard from the darkened alley half an hour before she was found semi-clothed and almost-unconscious.
Coltman, of Perth Street, Hartlepool, a budding soccer player, had never been in trouble before.
