A teenage boy has been jailed for sexually attacking a girl while she was asleep after they had both consumed cannabis.

The defendant, now 19, comes from Ebbw Vale and was 16 when he carried out the assault on the complainant during 2023 summer.

A jury found him guilty of rape after he denied all charges.

The probation department has assessed that the accused poses a significant threat to the public.

Being classified as a dangerous offender means he will serve his sentence at a young offenders’ facility for six years.

The sentencing judge told the defendant that his victim was defenceless and unconscious when the crime occurred.

Upon waking, he maintained that she had consented to the encounter.

The judge also observed that when police questioned him, he claimed no sexual activity had taken place and continued with this assertion throughout the case.

The evidence was overwhelming, in the judge’s view, and the jury delivered a guilty verdict.

He shows no remorse and has minimised his actions.

The prosecution highlighted the lasting emotional damage the offence has caused the complainant.

The judge praised the victim for her courage during the trial and for reading her impact statement at Cardiff Crown Court.

In her own words, she said she still struggles with anxiety.

The court process was traumatic and caused considerable stress.

She added that now he has been convicted, she feels capable of starting to put this experience behind her.

The defendant has six previous offences on his record, although none connected to this case.

Twelve months ago, he received a six-month term for having an offensive weapon after police discovered him carrying a knife in Blackwood.

The defence submitted that his youth must be the main consideration in his favour.

He was just 16 when he committed the offence and is now only 19, his lawyer argued.

The barrister characterised his client as emotionally immature and mentioned that parts of his childhood were spent under local authority care.

The defence explained that his father, who attended the hearing, provides him with support.

The defendant has harmed himself and attempted to end his own life.

He acknowledges that a prison sentence awaits and finds this prospect difficult, the court heard.

This appears to be an isolated incident unrelated to the present matter.

The defendant received an extended prison term.

He was sentenced to four years in a young offender institution along with an additional two-year extended licence period.

The accused must register indefinitely as a sex offender and a permanent order preventing any contact with his victim was imposed.