Pregnant 15yo's ex fronts court
A WARWICK teenager has pleaded guilty to a sexual offence, which was uncovered when his pregnant girlfriend sought help for domestic violence.
The 17-year-old, who legally cannot be named, yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of carnal knowledge of a child under 16.
The Warwick Magistrates Court heard police uncovered the offence when the 15-year-old girl attended the police station in July of this year to report a case of domestic violence.
It was at this time she revealed to officers that she was about 16 weeks pregnant.
The couple began dating in 2011 but the girl moved to Warwick in July of this year to live with him.
Police Prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the couple had sex an "unknown amount of times" between November 2011 and July 2012.
The court heard the teen's parents had warned him about dating girls under 16.
Snr Const de Lissa conceded the offending was "at the lower end of the scale" for this type of offending, adding that the law was designed to protect children from older offenders.
He said this relationship was "more about experimentation".
He added that the girl could have been as young as 14 when the sexual relationship began.
Defence counsel for the teen said his client did not know if he was in fact the father of the unborn child, as he was jailed for unlawful use of a motor vehicle at around the same time she fell pregnant.
"She may or may not have been involved with other persons while he was locked up," he said.
The court heard the teenager had no history of similar offending.
He was placed on probation for six months and no conviction was recorded against him.
