A teenager has been convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in a field.

Lee Francis, of Rillside, Furnace Green, Crawley, denied raping the girl on the night of April 7 last year.

But he was found guilty by unanimous verdict ten minutes ago.

The girl, who had been drinking cherry Lambrini, was sexually attacked by Francis shortly after meeting him in Horsham town centre.

She told Lewes Crown Court he forced her to have sex before running off with her mobile phone, leaving her alone in the dark.

Francis, who was 17 at the time, told the jury the girl claimed she was 16 and he believed she was a willing participant.

He said "I asked her if she wanted to have sex and she looked at me in a sexy way and said Yes."

He will be sentenced next month and has been remanded in custody.