A 15-YEAR-OLD boy accused of attempting to rape a sleeping seven-year-old during a summer sleepover at a friend's home was found guilty by a jury at Warrington Crown Court on Friday.

The boy, from Warrington, was staying with a friend in July last year when he forced himself on top of the youngster, gagging her with a pillow when she told him to stop.

Neither the defendant nor his victim can be named for legal reasons.

The group of children, made up of the boy, the girl and her 13-year-old and eight-year-old brothers, had been playing all day before they went to sleep at the siblings' home.

The youngest brother slept in the top bunk, while the two older boys stayed in the bottom, where they were later joined by the little girl.

Speaking to her by video link, the seven-year-old said: "I went to sleep and then he did what he did and my brother tried to get him off me but he said to him, 'If you touch me again I'll kick you in the face'. I said to him: 'No, I don't want you to do this'. He was on top of me and was lifting my nightdress up."

The court heard that on the following morning the boy threatened to throw the siblings down the stairs if they told anyone.

But the accused denied the allegation, admitting that he did expose himself to the girl and her two brothers during a game of dares earlier that evening. He said: "I was also dared to put my hands down her pants but I wouldn't stretch that far."

Bail

The case was adjourned until May 13 when the 15-year-old boy, who is on bail, will be sentenced.