Plymouth teenager Brenan Grenney faces jail for raping schoolgirl

A TEENAGER who raped a terrified schoolgirl after an evening of booze and drugs is today finally behind bars.

Brenan Grenney, aged 19, claimed he could not remember attacking the youngster because of the binge.

The jury at a previous trial failed to reach a verdict and the victim was forced to endure a retrial.

But yesterday a new jury at Plymouth Crown Court saw through Grenney's lies and convicted him of rape.

Judge Paul Darlow remanded him in custody for a probation officer to prepare a report on his background. He told him: "A sentence of custody is merely inevitable."

The officer in the case said after the verdict that the victim had been in "limbo" since she was attacked more than 18 months ago.

Detective Constable Simon Rawlinson, of the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: "This result has been a long time coming. She has finally received justice and can move on with her life.

"With this result and the support of the police sexual liaison officer, PC Anni Parr, and counselling from Twelves Company, she and her family finally have closure on this part of her life."

The brave young victim had faced the trauma of giving evidence at two trials after the first jury failed to agree its verdict earlier this month.

A second jury of nine men and three women took about two hours and 20 minutes to unanimously convict Grenney.

The smartly-dressed defendant barely reacted as the foreman announced he was guilty.

He had denied rape but pleaded guilty to the alternative charge of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16.

Grenney, of Embankment Road, was remanded in custody until April 26.

He had refused to take to the stand and no evidence was called on his behalf.

But the jury heard he told police in interview that the night of August 16, 2011, was a "bit of a blank".

The court heard he had lost three to four hours of his memory between drinking and smoking cannabis in a park to waking up in a city flat after the incident.

But the victim told the court he seemed only "tipsy" that night, when the British Fireworks Championships were taking place.

The schoolgirl wiped away the tears as she answered questions over a live videolink.

She had told police that she was "constantly screaming no" as Grenney made sexual advances.

She said Grenney had locked the door of the city home where they were alone.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said that Grenney held his arm over her mouth and hit her once during a half-hour ordeal.