A YOUTH who raped a terrified 17-year-old girl, threatening to slit her throat, has been sent to custody for five years.

Asif Ali, 20, committed the attack on the victim in her own home in the early hours, after complaining she was not being nice to him, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Ali, of Lee Street, Burnley, was recently convicted by a jury of rape, after a trial in which he claimed the teenager had made sexual advances towards him. He denied the charge against him but will now be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

Charles Brown, prosecuting, told the court the defendant had "tagged on" with the girl and her friend in the early hours. He followed them into the girl's home uninvited and started watching television with them.

The victim's friend was sleeping in the living room and Ali went to the toilet upstairs. When he didn't come down for about 10 minutes, the victim went upstairs to see what he was doing. She found him lying on her bed. Ali sat up and started complaining about the 17-year-old not being nice to him. He then blocked her exit from the door, put his arm around her, pushed her onto the bed and asked if she was going to be nice to him now.

Mr Brown said the girl was extremely frightened as the defendant started to fondle her. Ali told her he had a knife and said if she shouted for help, he would slit her throat.

Paul Hague, defending, said Ali did not accept his guilt. He recognised custody was inevitable and that the only question was the length of the sentence. The offence did not involve any excessive violence.

Ali was very concerned about his position in custody, given the category of the offence. The defendant came from a close and supportive family and had brought great shame upon them.