Nine-year-old boy was made to commit sexual acts on a 14-year-old boy, a court heard

Blackburn magistrates heard the older boy also performed sex acts on the youngster and the offences against the boy went on for 10 months before he finally plucked up the courage to tell his mum.

The boy, who is now 15 and cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to two charges of oral rape and three of sexual assault.

He was sent on bail to be sentenced after District Judge Jane Goodwin said the sentencing powers available to her, a referral order or two years detention and training, were possibly not sufficient.

The boy will appear at Preston Crown Court on October 23 to be sentenced.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the same offences for an adult would carry a sentence of up to 17 years in prison.

She said the offences had taken place when the victim was aged nine and 10 and had started with the defendant simulating sexual activity over clothing and telling his cousin that was how grown ups made children.

He later told the boy to touch him and perform oral sex on him.

Miss Allan said: "He told the boy he would get in trouble if he told anyone and said he would beat him up if he didn't do what he was told."

The prosecutor said the victim had written a letter in which he said what had happened to him had made him feel confused, upset and angry.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client was a young boy who was doing very well in every other aspect of his life.

"He realises that what he has done is wrong and the youth offending team believe this is a person they can work with and, hopefully, he will never appear before the courts again," said Mr Taylor. "He has never shown any kind of deviant behaviour before."

Sending the case to the crown court District Judge Goodwin said when she looked at the aggravating features and the limits of the magistrates court to either a referral order or a two year detention and training order she came to the conclusion the courts powers were insufficient.

"There is a real prospect of a sentence of detention and training in excess of two years," she said.