Two teenagers terrified a young girl when they molested her in a park in Maidstone, a court heard.

Luke Taylor, 18, and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, made the joint attack on the victim, aged 14, in Park Wood in May 2013.

But both Taylor, now 20, of Garden Close, Maidstone, and the boy, now 17 and also from Maidstone, have escaped being locked up.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the incident in front of another girl was a joke that backfired after one of the teenagers gave the victim a “wedgie”, pulling up her knickers.

“There was a misunderstanding of humour. A wedgie was performed. The underlying theme is a joke that has gone wrong" - Danny Moore, for Taylor

The younger boy pulled her onto his lap and Taylor grabbed her around the waist.

He then exposed himself and hit the girl on the stomach over her clothes with his private parts.

The other youth touched the victim’s bare breasts and put his hand down her trousers.

They pushed her to the ground and Taylor exposed himself again. He shouted: “Rip her T-shirt open, rip open her bra.”

Both teenagers admitted sexual assault.

Danny Moore, for Taylor, told Judge Charles Macdonald QC: “There was a misunderstanding of humour. A wedgie was performed. The underlying theme is a joke that has gone wrong.

“Any person with intact faculties would realise it is going downhill fast. I submit his culpability is reduced because of his various conditions.”

Taylor was sentenced to 12 months youth custody suspended for 18 months with 150 hours unpaid work and supervision.

His name will appear on the sex offenders’ register and he will be banned from working with children.

The other teenager was given a youth rehabilitation order at a previous hearing.

Judge Macdonald said Taylor’s culpability was reduced because of his “personal make-up” and noted he would be vulnerable if sent into custody.

He said of the victim: “She was vulnerable because of her age. There was degrading conduct including threats. It was two on one.”

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