Local media reports indicate that the boy assaulted his sister on multiple occasions at their home in Swindon, England, whenever the adults were either asleep or in a different room. In one instance, after the pre-teen watched a sexual scene from the video game, he assaulted his sister while the pair's younger sibling was still in the same room.
Court officials were also told of another incident in which the then 12-year-old raped his sister on Christmas Day, according to the Daily Mail.
The sexual assaults only came to light after the young girl confided in a friend, telling them that her brother forced her to do something he'd called "special bundles" and "snuggles." The Independent reported that the unidentified friend informed their teacher about the attacks.
Recently appearing before a judge at the Swindon Youth Court, the minor, who is now 13 years of age, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The boy's mother was present in the courtroom and reportedly "close to tears" when the charges were read aloud, according to the Independent.
During the hearing, prosecutor Russell Pyne told court officials that the minor "had been watching sex acts in porn and wanted to see what it was like for himself."
When speaking with the judge, the teenager told the official that he would stop himself if he were ever presented with the opportunity to repeat his offense. "I have learned that it's wrong," the teen said.
The boy was given a 12-month referral order, which will require him to go to an out-of-town therapeutic facility. On completion, the charges he pleaded guilty to will be considered "spent," and removed from his criminal record. Additionally, he will be registered on a sex offenders list for a period of two-and-a-half years.
"This is a one-off opportunity to help sort this young man out, give the youth offending team the chance to work with him and ensure that this never happens again," the IB Times reported defense attorney Gordon Hotson saying. "He's been opening up to staff and working well with them."
The teen's mother later told reporters that the family just wants to "make things right and do what's best for the safety of the children."
"He's doing really well, and I want to make sure we can all be a family again at some point," the mother said. "My daughter used to be very sad [thinking] this was her fault, but she's come on leaps and bounds. She's a very strong girl, and there's not an ounce of sadness in her now. I'm so proud of her."
The "Grand Theft Auto" video game series, which is a mature-rated game designated for players 17 and older, is no stranger to controversy, especially when it comes to its depiction of women. In July 2005, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was hit with an "Adults Only" rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board after it was revealed that the game contained a sexually explicit mini-game.
While it does not contain visible nudity, the latest addition to the series, "Grand Theft Auto V," contains fairly explicit first-person sex scenes, complete with spoken remarks, when players encounter sex workers.