Category Archives: Monmouthshire

Joseph Dixon – Newport

10 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Gwent, Monmouthshire

≈ Comments Off on Joseph Dixon – Newport

Newport child abuser Joseph Dixon jailed for ‘destroying’ victim’s life after attacking her in 1970s and 1980s

A PAEDOPHILE whose harrowing sexual abuse of a young girl in the 1970s and 1980s “wrecked her life” is now behind bars.

Joseph Dixon, aged 56, of Vivian Road, Newport, was jailed for six years after being convicted by a jury after trial.

He was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault, the offences being committed in Cardiff when he was a teenager and young man.

Peter Donnison, prosecuting, read out the victim’s impact statement.

He told Cardiff Crown Court how the complainant said that Dixon had “wrecked my life” and that her ordeal would never be over.

She said she was distrustful of men as a consequence and still suffered from nightmares.

The judge, Recorder Peter Rouch QC, was told that Dixon had a previous conviction for indecent exposure and had served prior custodial terms.

The court heard how the defendant, represented by Nicholas Gedge, had suffered throughout his life.

It was heard in mitigation how he had suffered physical abuse when he was young, had been “to a degree homeless” and struggled with his mental health.

The court also heard how character references “spoke well” of him.

In sentencing him, Recorder Rouch told Dixon: “This must have been a frightening experience for a child of that age.”

The judge jailed him for a total of six years which was made up of a custodial term of five years and an extended licence period of one year.

Dixon must also register as a sex offender for life and he was also made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Jamie Townsend – Abertillery

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by in Monmouthshire

≈ Comments Off on Jamie Townsend – Abertillery

Abertillery man who was sending sexually explicit text messages to child is jailed

A man whose girlfriend caught him sending sexual text messages to a child, and later claimed it was for a “laugh”, has been jailed.

Jamie Townsend, of Rectory Road, Abertillery, appeared before Newport Crown Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to three charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one charge of sexual communication with a child.

Townsend, who was 28 at the time, messaged his 14-year-old victim for roughly two weeks from September 2018.

But the 29-year-old’s actions were uncovered when his partner became “suspicious” of his behaviour and decided to check his mobile.

Prosecuting, Bethan Evans said: “As a result on October 15 she turned on the mobile phone and found a number of text messages.

“The messages were explicit in nature.

“She rang it and spoke to the person. She said she was 16 and said she had started to engage in discussions two weeks prior.

“As a result she confronted the defendant and also made a search on Facebook for the female’s name. She identified her and found she was 14, not 16.”

The partner then reported Townsend to police, resulting in his arrest.

The court heard that during the police interview, Townsend said that he and the girl “were just friends”.

And when questioned why he had described the girl as “sexy” in one specific text, he replied he had “done it just for a laugh”.

He added: “I would not have physical contact with her. It is not a relationship; it is a friendship.”

Townsend also denied that he was attracted to the 14-year-old.

Judge Daniel Williams ruled that Townsend had engaged in an “element” of both planning and grooming.

He said: “The communications between you became sexual. You incited her to have sexual intercourse with you.

“You pleaded guilty on the basis that there was no physical contact between you. But you did admit to meeting several times and the only physical contact is when you kissed her on the cheek on one occasion.

“Your blameworthiness is high because there was an element of planning, there was an element of grooming.”

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and is subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Andrew Telfer – Cwmbran

19 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Monmouthshire

≈ Comments Off on Andrew Telfer – Cwmbran

Cwmbran sex attacker’s appeal thrown out by judges

A “BARBARIC” sex attacker,who carried out a “vicious act” on a helpless female victim yesterday had his 14-and-a-half-year jail term upheld by top judges.

Andrew Gareth Telfer, 35, and another man, committed the sex attack on a female partygoer on New Year’s Eve 2011, leaving her so traumatised that she was left effectively housebound by her emotional scars.

Telfer, of Greenwood Avenue, West Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on October 19, 2012.

He was given consecutive sentences for two counts of sexual assault after admitting the crimes.

But yesterday he asked Lord Justice Aikens, Mr Justice Cranston and Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, to cut his term, claiming he had been treated too harshly.

The court heard both men attacked the victim, who had been drinking: slapping and biting her while “laughing” and “taunting her.”

Telfer then sexually assaulted her.

She eventually managed to escape, half-dressed, and contacted the police.

Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart described Telfer as “an aggressive man with a dominating and controlling attitude towards women,” adding that he had previous convictions for a sex offence and domestic violence.

Telfer’s solicitors asked for the sentences for the two offences to be made concurrent, arguing the two assaults were part of the same incident.

But Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart described the attack as “barbaric”

and said that argument was flawed, because the excessive violence used in one of the assaults increased the seriousness of the attack.

“He failed to take responsibility for his role in this appalling attack,” said the judge. “This was a severe sentence and intentionally so.

“It was particularly humiliating and vicious, and called for a very severe sentence.”

May 2012

Cwmbran pair admit sex assault

TWO Cwmbran men were remanded in custody yesterday after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

Andrew Telfer, 34, of Greenwood Avenue, Pontnewydd, and Christopher Wills, 32, of St Woolos Green, appeared at Newport Crown Court charged with kidnap and two counts of sexual assault.

The two men had previously pleaded not guilty to all three counts and were due to stand trial later this month, but were rearraigned yesterday with Telfer pleading guilty to both sexual assault charges and Wills to one count of sexual assault.

Prosecutor Tom Crowther said that after discussing the matter with the victim and officers involved in the case the Crown Prosecution Service would accept the pleas and not seek a trial on the kidnap charge or the second sexual assault charge against Wills.

Judge Stephen Hopkins ordered pre-sentence reports on both defendants and remanded them in custody until sentencing on May 28.

Christian Thomas – Newport

14 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by in Gwent, Monmouthshire

≈ Comments Off on Christian Thomas – Newport

May 2019

Child rapist from Newport Christian Thomas jailed for 15 years after attacking young girl

A paedophile who targeted and raped a young girl has been jailed for 15 years.

Christian Thomas, formerly of Newport, but latterly of Rougemont Grove, Thornwell, Chepstow, was found guilty after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

A jury of seven men and five women convicted the 33-year-old of three counts of rape against a girl under the age of 13.

The offences were committed in Chepstow during this decade.

He had denied the charges.

Thomas, who was represented by Christopher Rees, told the court he had never sexually assaulted his victim

He had claimed she was making the allegations up.

Trial prosecutor Matthew Roberts said the complainant had called Thomas a “very bad man”.

After his conviction last week, the defendant appeared for sentence at Cardiff Crown Court via video link from prison.

He had his head bowed and was tearful throughout the proceedings.

The prosecution was represented by Laurence Jones at the sentencing.

He read part of a victim impact statement on behalf of the girl which revealed she was suffering from nightmares as a result of her ordeal.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins jailed Thomas for a total of 15 years.

The defendant was sentenced to a custodial term of 14 years with an extended licence period of one year.

Thomas was told he would have to serve at least seven years in prison before he was eligible for release.

Judge Jenkins said it would be up to the Parole Board to decide “if it is safe to do so”.

Thomas must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and was made subject of an eight-year sexual harm prevention order.

Mark Sheen – Newport

27 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by in Gwent, Monmouthshire

≈ Comments Off on Mark Sheen – Newport

April 2019

Newport grandfather forwarded child abuse video and downloaded animal pornography

A pervert was warned he faces a potential prison sentence after he distributed a child abuse video and admitted downloading extreme animal pornography.

Mark Sheen, of Beechfield Avenue, Newport, pleaded guilty to forwarding one category A film, classified as depicting the most extreme type.

The 59-year-old was due to be sentenced at the city’s crown court, but the case was adjourned so that a report could be prepared.

Sheen pleaded guilty to possessing an extreme animal pornography image, distributing an indecent photograph of a child and possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins agreed to adjourn so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared on the defendant by the Probation Service.

He told Sheen: “The fact that I am adjourning gives no indication as to the type of sentence you will be likely to face.

“All sentencing options are open. It is very much in your interest for a good report to be prepared.”

Judge Jenkins did however ask the probation officer in court to “explore alternatives to custody”.

Sheen is now due to be sentenced on May 10.