A TEENAGER has admitted raping a 50-year-old woman twice near her home late at night.

Sixteen-year-old Liam Michael Edward Manghan was high on a mix of prescribed and illicit drugs, as well as alcohol, when he struck in his home village of Murton, County Durham, late on Friday, November 4, last year.

Manghan, now 17, pounced as the woman was walking along Stephens Road, on her way home from a friend's house.

He dragged her to the rear of the property, where the attack took place.

Manghan, of Luke Crescent, appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday, when he admitted two counts of rape.

His barrister, Robert Newcombe, told the court: "My client is only 17 years old, but he has given what I would say is mature consideration to the situation he faces.

"He accepts that he committed the offences as alleged and deeply regrets the actions that took place that night.

"He had been drinking alcohol, approximately a bottle of wine.

"He suffers attention hyper deficit disorder and was taking medication for it on the day the offences took place.

"Further to that, he had also been experimenting with ecstasy over the month or so before the incident.

"He's of previous good character and is unable to explain his actions that night, although he was aware what was taking place.

"Earlier, he'd had a relatively minor argument with his girlfriend."

Requesting the preparation of probation and psychiatric reports on his client, prior to sentence, Mr Newcombe said: "I would submit a mix of the alcohol, and the prescribed and illicit drugs had a combined impact on this young man, who went on to commit this act.

"It's a very troubling case and I believe as much information as possible about this young man should be before the court.

"It may be that it would help the court to assess the likelihood of any re-offending.

"None of this is meant to lessen the severity of the offence or the impact on the victim," added Mr Newcombe.

Judge Richard Lowden agreed to adjourn the hearing for preparation of the reports and he remanded Manghan in custody.

He will be sentenced on Friday March 24.