Tyler Deterville, pictured, has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting sexual activity with two girls under the age of 16
A teenage rugby player has been cleared of raping two schoolgirls aged 14 and 15 even though a court was told he had a ‘distorted and dangerous’ attitude to women.
Tyler Deterville, 19, had sex with one of the girls 100 times during an 18 month romance starting when she was 14 and he was 17.
The other girl was only 15 when she had sex with Deterville, then 18, at the home of one of her relatives.
Sexual offence laws state a child aged under 16 is legally unable to give consent for sex and Deterville was subsequently charged with rape.
But prosecutors accepted that the sex was actually consensual in both cases despite the law, and that both Deterville and the victims were ‘vulnerable’.
The charges were then reduced to sexual activity with a child, which Deterville admitted.
He also admitted a charge of common assault and was handed an eight-month suspended sentence.
Deterville – who played as hooker for a local junior rugby team – had seduced the girls whilst under the influence of cannabis, the court heard.
Prosecuting, Raquel Simpson said the first victim was 14 or 15 when she first met Deterville, then 17, and entered a relationship with him.
She added: ‘They started going out together and began a sexual relationship. At 15 she told police the relationship lasted about 18 months and said that she had full sexual intercourse with the defendant on approximately 100 occasions.
‘The offending continued after the defendant’s 18 birthday. The complainants mother gave a witness statement saying her daughter lived with her and initially things seemed to go well but deteriorated and the defendant was barred from the house.’
Deterville, pictured left and right, was initially charged with rape but prosecutors accepted both girls, aged 14 and 15, agreed to sex with him and reduced the charges
Deterville was described as having a ‘distorted and dangerous view’ towards women and was ordered to enter a programme designed to change his behaviour
The girl was later placed in foster care and moved to supported accommodation for young people and the pair split up.
But in December 2016 Deterville turned up at the home and was seen dragging the girl by the arm into her room in a row over a bank card.
The girl who cannot be named refused to report a physical injury and was said to be ‘reluctant witness’ in the case.
The second girl was 15 when she met Deterville, who was then 18, through a relative.
Miss Simpson added: ‘She arranged to stay at a house when she knew the defendant was staying there and they started a relationship. On December 10 2016 they had full sexual intercourse at the house.
‘She was 15 and the defendant was 18. She spoke to her sister on December 31 and as a result she contacted the grandmother who contacted the police.
‘The complainant was interviewed on January 1 2017 and stated she had been raped on December 10.
Deterville spent six months in custody after being held on remand following his arrest
‘The defendant was interviewed on January 2 and admitted they had sexual intercourse but stated she consented.
‘Police then contacted the first girl and she stated that she had been in a sexual relationship with the defendant since she was 15 and there were two occasions after her 16th birthday when she said she didn’t consent to intercourse. But the defendant denied raping her.’
The court heard Deterville had been on remand in custody for six months following his arrest.
His lawyer Richard English, said: ‘The relationships were consensual ones.
‘Mr Deterville was not a mature adult. He was not as mature as his years suggested.
‘Although the victims are described as being vulnerable the defendant was also vulnerable as he has had periods of homelessness.
‘He had a fractured relationship with his parents – he now has the benefit of two supportive parents, it seems whatever difficulties there may have been are more or less resolved.
‘The probation officer came to the conclusion when these offences were being committed, the defendant had a distorted and dangerous attitude towards women.
‘The defendant recognises a lot of his problems stem from an overuse of cannabis but he wants to ‘knock it on the head’ in his own words.
‘He’s had a lot of time to think about what he’s doing and where he’s going.. He looks forward to being able to finish college.
‘He got a distinction in level one plumbing and that’s something he wants to continue with.
‘He’s still a comparatively young man, he has already been punished with a loss of liberty.
‘He can work and that will have a benefit on him and people that come into his orbit.’
Deterville was 17 when he met the then 14-year-old girl and the court heard they were in a relationship and ‘had sex around 100 times’
Deterville was also ordered not to contact the girls for two years under the terms of a restraining order.
He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register and abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.
He must also take part in a 30 day programme to address his attitude towards women.
Passing sentence, Judge Sara Dodd told Deterville: ‘This is a case which has given me considerable concerns. You, as young man of 17 or 18, had a very poor attitude to young women who you were in a relationship with.
‘Your attitude was selfish, arrogant and disrespectful. Unless you can address those issues you will continue to pose a danger to young women.
‘Young women will be better protected by interventions that the probation service can provide in addressing your attitude to young women and further educate you.’