A teenager who raped an 11-year-old girl in a supermarket toilet must not be identified by the media, a judge ruled.
Judge Marten Coates, sitting at Coventry Crown Court yesterday, said an order protecting the 15-year-old's anonymity was necessary to safeguard the welfare of the offender's family.
The judge sentenced the youngster to nine years' detention at the same court last month after hearing how he targeted his victim as she shopped with her mother at Sainsbury's store in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
Various media organisations had made applications to have the reporting restriction lifted due to the gravity of the offence.
The order under Section 39 of the 1933 Children and Young Persons Act has protected the attacker's identity since he was charged with the offence in March this year.
Ruling that the order should stay in place, the judge said he had received a letter from the teenager's family containing medical evidence about one of his relatives who would not be able to cope with any teasing or bullying following identification.
"Behind this application we have a vulnerable family. I do not change my decision."
