British dad is 13, mum 15

London, Feb 13 (IANS) A leading British politician reacted with outrage after a 13-year-old boy was found to have become a father after having a night’s unprotected sex with a girl only two years his senior.

Alfie Patten became a parent to Maisie Roxanne after his 15-year-old girlfriend Chantelle Steadman gave birth four days ago, The Sun reported Friday.

The baby-faced 4ft teenager told the paper: “I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me 10 pounds.”

He didn’t know how much diapers cost but added: “I think it’s a lot.”

Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola, 43, in the southern English town of Eastbourne, was 12 when Maisie was conceived after the pair had just one night of unprotected sex.

Chantelle told The Sun: “I was on the pill but missed one.”

They kept the pregnancy a secret for six weeks, before Chantelle’s mother became suspicious about her daughter’s weight gain.

Alfie said: “When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react. I didn’t know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”

Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the opposition Conservative party, said the case was a “tragic example” of social decline in a country that has the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Western Europe.

“It exemplifies the point we have been making about broken Britain. It’s not being accusative, it’s about pointing out the complete collapse in some parts of society of any sense of what’s right and wrong,” he added.

The problem of teenage pregnancy is closely related to deprivation and inequality, forming part of a vicious cycle that can become hard to break and lock single mums into a life of poverty, experts say.

Alfie, one of nine siblings, and Chantelle live with their parents in ‘council estates’ with houses and flats that are meant for people on low incomes.

In a short video clip posted on YouTube that has now been removed, Alfie can be seen cradling his daughter as Chantelle looks on.

Asked what he will do financially, Alfie replies: “What’s financially?”

The question is then reworded. “What will you do for money?” Alfie answers: “I don’t know.”

Britain’s youngest known father is Sean Stewart, who was 12 at the time his girlfriend Emma Webster gave birth to their son in 1998. They broke up six months later.