Teen not guilty of raping 13-year-old

A jury has found a teenage boy not guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl outside a 16th birthday party on the Kapiti Coast last year.

The Wellington District Court jury went out early this afternoon.

In her testimony this week, the girl said the boy, 16, had bumped into her down the side of the house and attempted to kiss her.

He then pulled her stockings down and forced her onto the ground where he had sex with her for a short period.

She said she was "screaming my head off" to alert people inside.

The defence argued the girl initiated the encounter, putting her hands down his pants.

The accused initially told police they had just been talking, but later said they had consensual sex.

In his closing address, crown prosecutor Mark O'Donoghue told the court the victim's version was consistent with the evidence, while the defendant's story was "inherently implausible".

Defence counsel Craig Smith said in his closing statement the evidence of the complainant was "peppered with curious little comments".

"It is not up to the accused to prove his innocence. The burden of proof is with the Crown."

He said adolescence was "a time of sexual experimentation and you should look at it in this light".

Summing up, Judge Chris Tuohy said the jury needed to consider whether intentional penetration of the genitalia had occurred, whether it occurred without consent, and whether the accused was aware that it was not consensual.

- NZPA