Owen Wilson, now 18, wept in Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday as Judge Penny Moreland handed him a two-year suspended sentence for raping a child he met in a South Shields park. The teenager, of Grace Court, South Shields, must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity. He was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years and received a ten-year restraining order.
Details of the attack
The court heard that on August 19, 2023, Wilson, then aged 15, was drinking with friends at a park in South Shields. During the afternoon, the group began speaking to younger girls also in the park. The victim started drinking with the group but later was left alone with Wilson. The following day, the victim told her friend that Wilson had raped her, and she subsequently informed a family member, who contacted police.
Plea and sentencing
When interviewed by officers, Wilson provided 'no comment' but later pleaded guilty to rape at a plea and trial preparation hearing. Judge Moreland noted she had to impose the sentence that would likely have been imposed at the time of the offence, when Wilson was 15. Wilson has no previous offences.
