A 15-year-old boy is being prosecuted in connection with the case of a girl who fell pregnant at the age of 11.

The girl from West Lothian - who would become one of the UK's youngest mothers - told a newspaper that she was looking forward to having her child.

 

The teenage boy is due to appear in court in July charged with rape because of the age of the girl, who is now 12.

 

The case has prompted calls for a better teenage sexual health strategy in Scotland.

 

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said it showed that deficiencies in Scottish sex education must be addressed.

 

The Scottish Sun said the girl, who has not been named, had unprotected sex with the boy on a night out with friends in Edinburgh in August.

 

She said she was looking forward to motherhood and hopes she has a boy when she gives birth.

 

The girl added that she thought she would be able to cope as she'd had "lots of practice" looking after young children.

 

"I'm enjoying being pregnant - even though I get a bit of a sore back and sore ribs."

 

Her 34-year-old mother told the newspaper: "I'm not ashamed of my daughter at all - in fact, I'm proud of her for keeping her baby."

 

The newspaper said the girl smokes up to 20 cigarettes a day.

 

Sex education

 

Mr Harvie, co-convenor of the Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on sexual health, said: "I think we need to do away with this notion that sex education is everywhere and that young people have got all the information they need.

 

"There are a lot of myths out there and sex education is quite patchy in this country.

 

"The sexual health and relationships strategy from the Scottish Executive - the implementation of that is going on at the moment - needs to lead to much more comprehensive sex education."

 

The Scottish Conservatives called for society and families to unite to change attitudes towards sex following the news.

 

Health spokeswoman Nanette Milne MSP said: "This news will have shocked many people and the impact on the lives of the two children, the mum-to-be and her baby must be the first concern.

 

"I hope that this incident will draw attention to failings that have allowed such a young girl to go on a night out, get drunk, get pregnant, yet seemingly be ignorant about the risks and consequences."

 

A Catholic Church spokesman criticised "an increasingly promiscuous culture".

 

Family context

 

A Scottish Executive spokesman did not comment on the case, but said: "We have a programme of sex education in schools.

 

"It is something that all pupils should be aware of and it stresses the importance of relationships with a family context."

 

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said the girl's case would be the subject of a child protection review.

 

West Lothian Council said it was providing support and working with the family to ensure that the child "gets the best possible start".

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk

Oh dear God. 11 years old?!?!?! What is this world coming to...

What?!?!?! That's unbelievable.

 

 

 

Honestly, if I were that age, I wouldn't keep the child. I don't know how healthy that is for your body to endure at such a young age (let alone mentally... crap...).

Yeah, I bet that birth was a fun one! Squeezing that grapefruit thru the penny...

The girl added that she thought she would be able to cope as she'd had "lots of practice" looking after young children.

 

"I'm enjoying being pregnant - even though I get a bit of a sore back and sore ribs."

 

 

The newspaper said the girl smokes up to 20 cigarettes a day.

 

that's insane.. pregnant at the age of 11, and smokes 20 cigarettes a day?! and she's looking forward to giving birth, too. i don't think she knows how much this child will affect her life. teenage parents have a hard enough time taking care of a child in college or whatever, but imagine being 11 and going through the same thing. there's this girl in my school who's 16 and has baby....

West Lothian Council said it was providing support and working with the family to ensure that the child "gets the best possible start".

http://www.bbc.co.uk

 

It was this bit that got me. Which child are they talking about? They want the baby to get the best start in life? Well what about the 11 year old? She's not finished starting her life yet. She's going out at the age of 11, smoking, getting drunk and having sex. How's having a baby going to help her?

Drinking from 9, Smoking 20 a day, doing hard-drugs and having sex before she was 12.

 

So she has nothing to look forward to with age.

isn't the boy underage too though at 15? so how can he be charged with rape? wait. i'm getting confused. she still assented to having sex though didn't she... :confused:

OMG the girls is frkng mad !!! boy when i was 11 i still liked barbies ........creeepyy

This is ridiculous.

isn't the boy underage too though at 15? so how can he be charged with rape? wait. i'm getting confused. she still assented to having sex though didn't she... :confused:

 

if a girl/boy is under the age of 16, you can be charged with having sex with a minor.

if that child is under the age of 12, you would be charged with statutory rape. it doesn't matter if they gave consent at that age, because the law considers they are too young to understand the consequences of what they are agreeing to.