Teenagers accused of attempted rape to have charges dropped

Two Romanian teenagers who were accused of attempting to rape a schoolgirl in County Antrim are to have the charges withdrawn.

The boys, aged 14 and 15, have been held in custody since the alleged assault on 7 June which led to sustained racially-motivated riots in Ballymena during the summer.

The Public Prosecution Service was granted permission to end criminal proceedings due to "significant evidential developments", at Belfast Youth Court on Friday.

The teenagers will now be released from the juvenile detention centre where they have been held for more than five months.

Another youth, who is suspected to be involved in the alleged attack, is believed to have fled to Romania the next day.

None of the accused can be identified because of their ages.

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