As I read it, this was a * preliminary hearing* (not trial) in which the issue of consent was in dispute and where there is no apparent mention of whether the age of the girl was known, requested, offered or otherwise made known to the accused.
You can paint the brief details of this any number of ways. Examples:
Girl in charge of house has conversation and demonstration of wares on doorstep, does she tell him or make known her absence of underwear (question goes to flirtation) ? why is no one in the house aware of what happens ?, girl phones mother about purchases of goods, girl takes water to the front door where man remains, man comes inside, sex occurs, girl does nothing for two days before telling a friend. Attention-seeking Lolita ?
(NB. “… tried to soothe and calm the girl as she clutched a Teddy bear. Throughout the proceeding, the teen-ager used her finger tips to press her eyelids in failed attempts to fight back the tears as she sobbed quietly… Long, thick, red locks frequently hung to the side of her head, shielding her face from the accused.”)
Man forces his way into house, rapes 14 year-old girl and leaves. Paedophile-Rapist ?
{NB. " Only once or twice did Bowens sneak a glance in her direction, even when she pointed in his direction to identify him as her attacker. Instead, he stared, expressionless, straight ahead.").
Helpful and objective reporting ?
My only point is that reading this only allows us to pre-judge the trial. If there is one cardinal rule in criminal cases, IMHO, it’s that how things unfold in court reads very differently in a newspaper.
He doesn’t deny sex took place so it is Statutory Rape (23 year old, 14 year old) …beyond that, who knows.