Teenager accused of trying to kill rape victim with paving slab chooses not to give evidence

A teenager accused of attempting to bludgeon a rape victim to death in an act of "desolating wickedness" has opted not to give evidence in his defence.

The 17-year-old youth, who admits rape and causing grievous bodily harm with intent - but denies attempted murder - offered no evidence on the third day of his trial at Leicester Crown Court.

The youth claimed through his legal team that he intended to render the victim unconscious, but did not intend to end her life after arming himself with a paving slab in Leicester's Victoria Park.

After the boy's defence case was concluded in less than a minute by his QC, prosecutor Gordon Aspden used the Crown's closing speech to claim the attack on 3 July was an attempt to "silence" the victim.

The court was told the boy, who cannot be named, had conducted internet searches on his iPhone, seeking "warped" videos depicting the rape and humiliation of "helpless" women and girls.

Mr Aspden told the jury: "An attack of this type was clearly something that had been festering at the back of his mind in the weeks and days leading up to its commission. This wasn't an incident that got out of hand with him using violence impulsively."

Alleging that the youth had lied to his family a day after the attack, Mr Aspden added: "Even now he continues to lie. What has he said to you during this trial? Nothing. If he didn't intend to kill then a few moments ago he had an opportunity to tell you and he chose not to.

"He has not provided evidence because he is, sadly, as we know, a deceitful and manipulative young man who is prepared to lie to even his own family in order to avoid responsibility for his actions."

Mr Aspden said of the victim: "She came within a hair's breadth of dying at his hands. The ugly truth here is that this dangerous young man, for his own selfish reasons, chose to carry out an attack of quite desolating wickedness on a complete stranger and his intention was to rape and kill her."

In the defence closing speech, the boy's barrister, Phil Bradley QC, submitted that the boy had not acted with murderous intent.

"It was clearly brutal and gratuitous and he accepts that, that's why he has pleaded guilty," Mr Bradley said. "The only safe inference is that the assault was not intended to kill."

The jury in the case is expected to retire after the judge's summing up in the trial which continues.

Press Association