David Mason, 24, was sentenced to four years in a young offenders’ institute after admitting raping a 12-year-old girl five years ago.
He was put on the sex offenders register indefinitely and he is banned from being near young girls without permission.
But upon completing his sentence, Mason successfully won a place on Oliver’s sought after apprenticeship scheme at London restaurant, Fifteen, which aims to help disadvantaged young people.
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A spokesman for the celebrity chef said: ‘David was completely honest about his past when he applied for the course and we decided that, as he’d served his sentence, he should be allowed a place on the programme.’
‘He has, so far, been an excellent student.’
Mr Mason was jailed in 2010 when he forced himself upon the girl after playing a video game with her.
Upon sentencing, the Judge said: ‘The law exists to protect young and vulnerable children and she was both of those things, as you well knew. You knew very well that having sex with such a young girl was wrong.’