In a recent rape trial, a Snapchat video allegedly depicting part of an assault on a girl by three young boys, aged 12, 13, and 14, was presented in court after the victim’s mother testified about the incident. The boys were accused of taking turns to assault the girl in bushes, with a portion of the attack reportedly recorded on a mobile phone and later shared among the boys and others.
The boys, who remain unnamed due to legal restrictions, have denied the charges against them. Two of them, now 15 and 16 years old, are currently undergoing trial, while the third boy, who was 12 at the time and is now 14, has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
According to prosecutors, the assault took place near the Newbold tram stop in Rochdale in February 2024. The prosecution alleges that the boys engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with the victim, with the now 15 and 16-year-olds accused of rape. The prosecution claims that the boys were aware of the concept of consent.
During the trial, it was revealed that a friend of the girl intervened to stop the assault, leading the older boys to flee the scene. The prosecution also mentioned that a mobile phone captured part of the incident without the girl’s consent.
The court was shown a 10-second Snapchat video, allegedly recorded by the 16-year-old, in which laughter can be heard, and a voice is heard making an inappropriate comment while a hand is seen touching the girl. The victim’s mother recounted her distress upon learning about the assault and her daughter’s emotional state following the incident.
The trial includes charges of rape, with three counts attributed to each boy individually and two counts under a joint enterprise. The boys have denied the allegations against them, and the jury will determine the outcome of the case.