Dafydd Rees, then aged 38, of College Street, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Swansea Crown Court after being convicted of multiple historical rapes against a young boy.
The prosecution outlined that the offences were committed between the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Rees was aged approximately 15.
The victim was aged 11 or 12 at the time of the attacks.
The court heard that the victim remained silent for over twenty years due to childhood fear and confusion, worrying at the time that he would get into trouble if he spoke out.
The survivor finally contacted police to make formal disclosures after becoming a parent, specifically when his own son reached the age he had been when the abuse took place.
In a personal impact statement read directly to the court, the victim detailed the lasting emotional consequences: “When the abuse first happened, I felt scared, upset and disgusted. I knew it was wrong, but felt unable to talk to anyone about it because I was worried I would get into trouble. In my teenage life, I always felt emotional situations were difficult, and whenever I was overwhelmed, I felt I’d react and suffer bouts of anxiety.”
Rees pleaded not guilty to all charges, compelling the victim to give evidence before a Crown Court jury.
Following deliberations, jurors found Rees guilty of:
- Multiple counts of rape of a child under 13
- Indecent assault on a child
Sentencing Rees, Judge Geraint Walters remarked that the defendant had exploited his young victim every time the opportunity arose, and that by denying the offences he had forced the victim to relive the ordeal through a trial.
The judge explained that sentencing historical cases of this nature presents unique legal challenges, noting that pursuant to binding Court of Appeal authority, the court must place itself in the position of a judge sentencing the defendant at the exact time the offences were committed.
This required the court to apply the statutory framework and youth sentencing principles that existed under the law at the time of the offending in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Judge Walters sentenced Rees to 12 months in custody.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered that Rees be subject to the statutory notification requirements of the Sex Offenders Register for a period of 10 years.
Release Calculation: Under UK sentencing legislation governing standard determinate custodial sentences, Rees is entitled to statutory release on licence at the halfway mark. He will serve up to one-half (six months) of his 12-month sentence in prison custody before being released on licence to complete the remaining six months under the supervision of the Probation Service in the community.
Image Credit – Anonymous Artist Impression
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