A TEENAGER accused of raping a 12-year-old girl absconded yesterday, seven days into his High Court trial.
Ip Chun-wai, 15, charged with one count of rape and two of indecent assault, had pleaded not guilty.
The teenager, out on bail, disappeared midway through testimony by the girl, now 13. However, Mr Justice Leong ordered the trial to continue.
The girl testified Ip raped her on April 8, last year, in the side room of a squat in Yau Ma Tei occupied by a group of teenagers. She and a friend had run away from home over Easter.
In her statement to police, read out in court, she said: ''I was very frightened because he was very fierce. He was so strong I was unable to move.'' She told the jury Ip locked her in the building after her 15-minute ordeal to stop her leaving.
Earlier, prosecutor Nicholas Bradley told the court Ip also indecently assaulted the girl's 13-year old friend.
