12 of 16 victims of serious sex offences recorded last month were under the age of 18 years

12 of the 16 victims of serious sex offences recorded last month were under the age of 18 years.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, there were four male victims and 12 female victims.

There were 16 people charged with a total of 63 counts of sexual offences in July.

There were 42 counts of rape, 1 count of attempted rape, 1 count of aiding and abetting rape, 1 count of abduction of a young person and 18 counts of sexual assault.

Of the 16 accused persons, three were juveniles.

There were 10 incidents where the victims and the accused were related to one another.

A 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy was charged with the rape of a 12-year-old girl. One of the accused is the victim’s cousin. The 17-year-old boy is also charged with aiding and abetting and attempted rape.

A 15-year-old boy was charged with the rape of a 15-year-old girl.

There was one incident where a 65-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 6-year-old granddaughter.

A 40-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 12-year-old stepdaughter while in another incident, a 26-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 12-year-old stepdaughter.

A 31-year-old man was charged with three counts of rape of his 8-year-old male cousin while in another incident, a 44-year-old man was charged with three counts of rape of his 14-year-old niece. There was one incident where a 35-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 19-year-old sister-in-law.

A 26-year-old man was charged with 10 counts rape of his 14-year-old niece, however, this matter was discontinued due to the victim being out of the country and unable to give evidence during the trial.

A 27-year-old man was charged with six counts of rape, one count of abduction of a young person, one count of criminal intimidation and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm of a 17- year-old girl.

The accused and the victim were in a relationship at the time of the incident.

A 63-year-old man was charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of a 33-year-old woman.

There was one incident where a 42-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy.

In another incident, a 42-year-old man was charged with six counts of rape and seven counts of sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy and 12-year-old boy.

Three cases were discontinued due to insufficient and inconsistent evidence and the victim being out of the country.