Man admits raping a girl aged under 13 when he was a teenager

A Lincolnshire man has admitted raping a girl aged under 13 when he was 16.

Eimantas Matasevicius, now 23, pleaded guilty to the single charge of rape when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court.

The offence happened between August 1, 2018 and October 1, 2018.

Matasevicius, who has been remanded into custody, previously lived in South Lincolnshire.

He also admitted a second charge of sexually assaulting the same victim between the same dates.

Matasevicius denied a third charge of sexually assaulting the girl by kissing her neck.

The victim can not be named to protect her anonymity.

Terry Boston, defending Matasevicous, told the court his client had pleaded guilty on a basis that he had no idea of the victim's age and that she was taller than him at the time of the offence.

Steven Bailey, prosecuting, said the Crown Prosecution Service did not accept that intercourse was consensual and asked for the case to be adjourned for a Newton Hearing in front of a judge to decide the facts.

Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight adjourned the case for a Newton Hearing which will take place at Lincoln Crown Court on 20 February.

"You have pleaded guilty to two matters which are serious," Judge Sjolin Knight told Matasevicius.

"There is a dispute between the prosecution and you about how this happened, so a judge will need to hear evidence to decide what the facts are."

Matasevicius, who entered his pleas via a Lithuanian interpreter, was remanded back into custody until his next court appearance.

He will be sentenced after the Newton Hearing.