Rapist said he had sex with 12-year-old girl he met McDonald's to make ex jealous.

A rapist who claimed he had sex with a 12-year-old girl to make his ex-girlfriend jealous has been sentenced to prison.

Nathan Ali, 22, met the victim at a McDonald's in Newcastle and took her to a student house where his ex-girlfriend lived. He then had sex with the girl while the occupants were out.

When the ex-girlfriend and her flatmate returned home, they found Ali and the victim in bed. They contacted the police after realizing the victim was a child.

Ali admitted to raping a child under 13, but claimed he believed the victim was 17 years old. However, the judge sentenced him to four-and-a-half years in prison, stating that the two women at the student house believed the victim to be 14 or 15 years old.

The judge also said that Ali's claim of trying to make his ex-girlfriend jealous was not a mitigating factor.

Ali must sign the sex offenders register for life, abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, and has been given a restraining order to keep him away from his ex for five years.