Latest Offenders Cardiff

Description

A Deliveroo delivery driver who climbed into a woman's bed and tried to kiss her while her boyfriend was passed out in the kitchen has been jailed for two years and eight months after admitting sexual assault. 

Fuad Haddad, 31, entered a house in Cardiff in the early hours of April 11, where the victim was spending the night with her boyfriend. 

Cardiff Crown Court heard the woman had ordered food via the Deliveroo App before cancelling the order. Despite this, Haddad attended her home to collect payment - when he arrived he found the front door open and let himself in.

Haddad made his way upstairs where he attempted to kiss the woman twice and touched her with his hand on her hip and pressed his body against hers. 

The woman asked Haddad to leave, and he apologised repeatedly but wouldn't leave until he was forcibly walked out of the house and pushed out the door.

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the woman was disorientated when he arrived and when she asked who he was Haddad said he had been with her boyfriend who was 'coming up in a minute'.

The police were called and Mr Broadstock said the defendant was later seen on CCTV footage approaching the address numerous times before leaving at 5.12am. 

Haddad, of South Luton Place, Adamsdown, was arrested on April 13 and admitted attending the address but he denied any sexual offence. 

He later pleaded guilty to sexual assault and trespassing on premises with intention of causing sexual offence. 

Haddad was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely. 

The court heard he had previous convictions for drug offences and an offence of battery. 

In a personal statement, the victim said her wellbeing had been 'detrimentally affected' by the incident. She added: 'I was sexually assaulted in a place I thought I was safe. 

'I have changed my habits, demeanour and appearance to try and process and cope with what happened. 

'I live in shared accommodation and should be able to feel safe in my house. I hope to go back to the woman I was before this day. 

'I am so anxious when I am alone or in my room. Now I check the door is locked and I also do this if I stay over someone else's house or when going on trips.'

She added: 'I kept thinking "Why does a delivery driver think he could walk in, see my partner passed out in the kitchen, walk upstairs, get into bed with me and sexually assault me".'

In mitigation, Hannah Williams said her client had been working as a Deliveroo driver for some time without any incidents and had 'misread the signals'. 

She said he fully accepts he should not have gone into the house, and described the offence as 'entirely out of character' and 'shocking' to his family members and members of his community. 

The barrister also said Haddad was a part time carer for his uncle.

Sentencing, Judge Wayne Beard said: 'The impact on the complainant is set out in her personal statement and shows the significance of this offence to her. 

'She is profoundly affected by your actions which have changed her demeanour, appearance and behaviour with others and at home. 

'The effects cannot be underestimated, you have changed this young woman's life completely by your offending. 

'She was clearly asleep and you took advantage of a person who was completely vulnerable at that point in time.'

Description

A teenager raped a woman in a bed after attacking her while he thought she was asleep. The victim said she is "not the same person" as she was before being raped.

Harvey Vincent had just turned 18-years-old when he assaulted the victim, who had previously told him no sexual activity between them would take place. Despite this, he forced himself upon the victim when he thought she was asleep.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the victim, who has lifelong anonymity, was awake through the rape, but was frozen with fear. He first sexually assaulted her before forcibly having sex with her.

The victim hoped her lack of response would dissuade Vincent, but he carried on without regard for her welfare. The defendant was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol at the time of the attack.

After a complaint was made to the police, Vincent, of North Road, Porth, denied the offences but he was found guilty by a jury of rape and sexual assault by penetration, following a trial. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement, the victim said: "Where do I start? Harvey raped me when I was just 18-years-old. I was just leaving school... For him to do this to me hurts more than the act itself. He raped my mind and my body and I will never be able to trust someone like that again. I have gained strength from this and understood myself a lot more but I have changed, I am not the same person I was.

"Everything I've gone through, he needs to understand the damage he's done, I never feel clean and my skin crawls. When I speak or think about this I need to shower. I don't like sex anymore... My body doesn't feel like my body." The victim said she suffered night terrors, where she would wake up screaming and shouting the defendant's name.

She added: "I used to be super active and sporty but I can't do contact sports anymore, I don't like being touched. Going through the trial was horrendous, the system does not work for victims, it re-victimises and punishes us.... I feel sorry for you (Vincent), I feel sorry for you friends and family.... This has changed my entire life.

"I realise there is life after rape, it's up to me to make it work. I will never feel responsible for this and will make a successful life for myself despite what he did to me. I will walk with my head held high, he will not dictate the rest of my life."

In mitigation, defence barrister Marian Lewis described the case as "tragic" and said "two young lives have been blighted". She said the defendant was just 18-years-old at the time of the offence and said his "life had been destroyed" as he has lost his good character and he will be serving an immediate custodial sentence. He now suffers from depression and is taking medication.

Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson found the victim suffered "severe psychological harm", having self harmed and expressed suicidal thoughts since the assault. Addressing the defendant he said: "Your actions, in ways big and small, have changed her life."

Vincent, now aged 20, was sentenced to five years detention in a young offenders' institute, of which he will serve two thirds before released to serve the remainder on licence. Judge Hobson reduced the starting point of seven-and-a-half years by a third, due to the defendant's "immaturity". Vincent was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely and was made subject to a restraining order for 10 years.

Description

A convicted murderer encouraged a 16-year-old girl into prostitution and took a cut of her payments after having a sexual relationship with her. He was caught after police attended a flat he had rented out for the girl to see clients and found him partially dressed.

Charles Frayne, 46, was jailed for life in 1998 for the murder of jeweller Gerry Hales who was stabbed to death during a robbery in Cowbridge. Following his release, the defendant appeared in the courts on a number of occasions, most recently for possession of a bladed article and criminal damage in 2017.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday heard Frayne was discovered at an address in Cardiff on April 15, 2021, with his victim after police were flagged down by a man concerned about prostitution taken place. Upon answering the door of the Colum Road flat, Frayne was partially dressed and his "facial expression" changed upon seeing police.

The victim then came to the door and gave a false name and false age, telling police she was 20-years-old, but she appeared "jittery" and was trembling. Further suspicions were raised when open packets of condoms, lingerie and a notebook containing notes about sexual acts were discovered in the flat.

Prosecutor Julia Cox said: "It was quite clear to police some element of sexual activity was ongoing." At some point, another woman arrived at the property and referred to the victim by another name to the one she had given to police.

When the victim was spoken to alone, she told police she had met Frayne on Snapchat and was actually 16-years-old. In an interview, she said the defendant assisted her in opening an account on a website linked to prostitution and gave her the money to do so.

She said she obtained clients and would pay Frayne a section of her earnings. He rented out the property in Colum Road through an Airbnb for four days, and he would be present when she was with clients in another room. He also paid for her food and taxi expenses.

Frayne, of no fixed abode, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to causing or inciting prostitution, but maintained he genuinely believed the victim to be 20-years-old.

Frayne gained the female’s trust by paying for food and taxi before forming a sexual relationship. Once he gained her trust, he then funded an advert on an escort website and caused her to become involved in prostitution..

“This has been a lengthy and complex investigation, His guilty plea reflects the strength of evidence against him because of the police investigation and the bravery of the victim. The impact on the victim has been devastating but she has been extremely resilient and patient since the start of this investigation."

He added: “His [Frayne's] guilty plea reflects the strength of evidence against him because of the police investigation and the bravery of the victim.

“The impact on the victim has been devastating but she has been extremely resilient and patient since the start of this investigation.”

Frayne has been sentenced to ten months in prison, and will spend a total of three years and one month in prison due to being on life licence for a previous offence when he was arrested.

Description

A paedophile attempted to rape a girl under the age of 10 in a sickening attack which she reenacted to police by using dolls. He went onto to grope a teenage girl after trying to convince her to send naked photos of herself.

Adrian Offer, 36, of Cardiff, was discovered after his youngest victim told her mother about the attack, which left her in pain and crying. When confronted, the defendant lied about committing the offence and blamed one of the victim's family members but he was disproved by a jury who found him guilty.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard attempted to rape his first victim by forcing her to straddle him, but he was unable to do so. He then sexually assaulted her.

When the victim told her mother, she described another incident when Offer sexually assaulted her. The police were called but the defendant denied the accusations.

It later came to light that Offer had sexually assaulted a teenage girl after she told her teacher he had groped her breasts. He also send her messages in which he tried to encourage her to send naked photos of herself, but she refused to do so.

Offer, of Kirkwall Court, Tremorfa, denied a count of attempted rape of a minor, two counts of sexual assault and sexual communication with a child, but he was found guilty of the charges following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. The court heard he had previous convictions but none of them were relevant.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the young victim's mother described how her daughter was seeking reassurance from staff members at her school, and will have days when she isolates herself from friends. It is was also said she had been reenacting what had happened to her with dolls, like she did in her police interview. The victim's mother said her daughter's behaviour had worsened, her routine and schooling had been disrupted.

She added: "I have been affected by this and so has my family. My mental health has suffered, I have been prescribed anti-depressants and I am unable to sleep.... I feel guilty I never knew what was happening and feel disgusted (Offer) did that. I just hope (my daughter) can forget about what has happened."

In her victim personal statement, the second victim said: "I feel safe now Offer has been arrested... My school has told my mother my behaviour has changed. I am not sure how it has made me feel. I don't like school as much as I used to and I go to my room and don't stay downstairs anymore."

The court heard there was little mitigation to be put forward on the defendant's behalf as he still maintained his innocence and accepted no responsibility for his offences.

Sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "This was brazen and persistent offending against two children.... Probation has said you are at high risk of committing further sexual offences against female young children. I am quite satisfied you are a dangerous offender and pose serious risk of harm to female children."

Offer was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he is considered for parole, and was made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.

Description

A convicted paedophile failed to tell police about his new phone. Shane Upton from Cardiff was already under a suspended prison sentence after sharing indecent images and attempting to incite a girl aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The 34-year-old, of Pen-Y-Lan Road in Roath, was put under a sexual harm prevention order last November which meant he had to inform police within three days if he purchased a mobile phone which had internet access. In June this year he bought one from CEX.

Prosecutor Emma Harris told Cardiff Crown Court: "On June 5 he got in contact with his probation officer and indicated he had a new phone and a new phone number. The probation officer was concerned he may have breached the sexual harm prevention order."

Ten days later a police officer visited Upton's home and examined the phone, finding it was connected to the internet. Upton later pleaded guilty to breaching the order, which had been made last November alongside a 17-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. That came after he had been convicted of three counts of distributing and three counts of possessing indecent images of children as well as the attempted incitement of sexual activity.

Ms Harris said that when Upton was arrested for the breach, he claimed he "did not think about disclosing ownership of the phone as he did not have contact details to pass the information on". His lawyer Adam Sharp told the court it would be "unjust" to activate the suspended sentence for such a breach.

The judge, Recorder Greg Bull KC, agreed. "He told his probation officer of the purchase," said the judge. "I'm happy to accept this was a stupid error on his part in not understanding the order."

Mr Sharp added that his client previously had a long-term drinking issue but has benefited from an alcohol abstinence order. Recorder Bull then told Upton he would be making a 12-month community order with 25 hours of unpaid work. Upton, who receives Universal Credit, must also pay prosecution costs of £420 at a rate of £20 a month.

Description

A registered sex offender well known to police thought he was preying on a vulnerable child when he was actually sending sexual text messages to a police decoy.

Steven Baker, 57, has found himself behind bars again for breaching several conditions of his sexual harm prevention order when he engaged in a conversation via text messages with someone he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.

After a lengthy engagement with the undercover officer Baker was arrested at his home in Ely, Cardiff, in June by officers from South Wales Police and the regional organised crime unit Tarian. Baker pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in sexual communications with a child at the earliest opportunity, a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

He was sentenced to 22 months in prison, half of which he will serve behind bars. Following the sentencing detective inspector Mathew Davies, of Tarian, said Baker’s case “shows we are monitoring offenders to remove the most dangerous individuals from society who continue to offend”.

DI Davies said: “There is considerable work being undertaken to identify those offenders looking to exploit children online and preying on the most vulnerable in society." He added: “It is another notable result for Tarian and South Wales Police to identify this offender attempting to target vulnerable children. By working closely with South Wales Police we were able promptly to detain Baker to prevent him for committing further offences. It is paramount that we safeguard children and the most vulnerable within our communities and working closely with all southern Wales forces we will continue to target those offenders looking to exploit children."

Description

A member of staff at a primary school was found in possession of indecent images of children including the most serious category. The man was said to have been "immediately removed from the school" after the offences came to light.

Steven Jones, 51, an employee of Ynyshir Primary School in Porth, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of indecent images of children. These included 109 category A images, 150 category B images and 75 category C images. It's not suggested any pupils from the school were depicted in the images.

The defendant, of The Philog, Whitchurch, Cardiff, was arrested on September 26 last year and later admitted the offences. He was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on Wednesday to 12 months imprisonment and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Following the hearing, parents at Ynyshir Primary School were written to by headteacher Paula Phillips, who said: "It is with great regret that I wish to inform you that a member of teaching staff from our school has pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of children. Sentencing took place today at Newport Crown Court.

"Now that the criminal process has concluded, the school and its governing body, in partnership with key council services, will undertake internal disciplinary processes to consider suitability for employment and any necessary referrals to the relevant professional bodies, as deemed appropriate."

In a statement, a spokesman for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council on behalf of the school, said: "This incident has shocked and appalled our school and wider community. Whilst we are advised that these images did not include children from our school, these crimes have undoubtedly impacted on many, and we hope that the sentence imposed will help those affected. As soon as professionals were made aware of these serious allegations and police intervention, the staff member was immediately removed from the school.

“We would like to thank South Wales Police for their work in helping to keep our children and communities safe. As a school we will continue to work with our partners and families to ensure that our learners remain safe and protected, which is our absolute priority.”

Description

A man tried to drag a woman into a bush during a terrifying ordeal in a park. The woman was grabbed by Dale Edey who was pretending to look for a lost dog.

The 38-year-old targeted the woman as she walked through Bute Park in Cardiff at around 6.30am on August 31 last year. A court heard Edey wrapped his arms around her and forcibly kissed her, before attempting to drag her towards an isolated area of the park.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Tuesday, July 11, heard the victim had gone through a morning stroll and spoken to her mother on the phone. As she reached an area of the park with outside gym equipment, she noticed him, WalesOnline reports.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said Edey asked her if she had seen a dog, the victim said she had not but would keep an eye out. Mr Griffiths added: "He approached her and grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her and began kissing her neck. She struggled against him and began screaming."

The victim went to the floor and Edey pinned her to the ground before attempting to drag her to a hedge and bushes nearby. As he did so, the victim banged her head on gym equipment.

She continued screaming as the defendant grabbed at her clothes and jogging bottoms and tried to pull them down. Mr Griffiths said: "[The victim] in her words, screamed her lungs off for help and he responded 'shut up or I'll kill you'.

"Screaming turned to pleading, she didn't give up struggling and eventually the defendant got up and left her." The victim made her way to the Blackweir entrance of the park when a man stopped to help her and the police were called.

The park was closed for investigations to be carried out and the victim's clothes were analysed for forensic evidence. DNA evidence was found on the waist band of her jogging bottoms which matched with Edey's DNA profile.

Edey, of Pennsylvania Avenue, Pentwyn, was arrested on September 19 but denied the offences and answered no comment to questions put to him. He later pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and committing an offence with the intention of committing a relevant sexual offence.

The court heard he had 31 previous convictions, including assault by beating. In a victim personal statement read to the court, the victim said: "Since this incident I have suffered from anxiety which affects me and my ability to function on a day to day basis.

"Shortly after the attack I would break down and cry anywhere or any time. I was extremely distressed after going to the incident. It affects my sleep and I often dream about what happened and even now to this day I have regular nightmares.

"I was initially injured and had bruises and torn muscles which made it hard to sleep for a while because I was sore. I felt beaten and it takes time to recover from that."

She continued: "The incident happened in the day time so I am generally uneasy during the day, I am uneasy about where I am and who is around me which is especially true when I am on my own.

"I cannot speak to strangers any more, this is really sad as I used to be friendly and happy to help but I will never interact with strangers because I am scared of them."

In mitigation, Heath Edwards said the incident was "isolated" and was the first sexual offence his client had been convicted of. He said the defendant would be able to undergo relevant programmes while in custody, where he has been working as a wing cleaner.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Edey had refused to leave his cell and attend the sentencing hearing for the second day in a row, so would be sentenced in his absence. She added: "You caused severe psychological harm and used violence against your victim."

Edey was sentenced to four years and 11 months imprisonment with an extended three years on licence. He will serve two-thirds of the sentence before he is considered for parole. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements.

Description

A paedophile who previously sexually abused children and engaged in sexual conversations with a child breached a court order after failing to tell the authorities about a mobile phone. He claimed he had "forgotten" to notify his probation officer about the device.

Malcolm John West, 63, of Cardiff, was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in August last year after he was convicted of engaging in sexual communications with a child. As part of the order, the defendant was required to keep probation informed of his address and to register any electronic devices.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard West previously breached court orders by failing to tell the authorities about new addresses. He was convicted of intercourse with a girl under 18, in both 1979 and 1984, and convicted of indecent assault of a girl under 14, in 1993.

Following his release prison in March 14 this year, the defendant was found to have failed in his duty to notify probation about the purchase of a mobile phone. When officers visited his home on March 30, he was asked why he had not registered the phone and he admitted he had "forgotten" to notify them.

West, of Clive Street, Grangetown, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to breach of a SHPO. The court heard he has a total of 63 previous convictions.

Defence barrister Nick Gedge said there was no suggestion there was "anything untoward" on the phone. He said the defendant was preoccupied at the time of the offence due to his partner being in hospital and him being evicted.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "You are a persistent sex offender and have little regard for orders. She sentenced West to a total of eight months imprisonment. The Sexual Harm Prevention Order remains in force.

Description

A pervert who sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 16 was told "Don't be a paedophile" by his victim as he abused her. She later told her attacker "F*** you, I'm a child."

Jami Davies, 34, of Bridgend, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child following a child at Cardiff Crown Court. He claimed his victim was not telling the truth, but he was disbelieved by a jury who returned guilty verdicts.

The court heard Davies approached his victim as she slept and initially touched her leg and bottom over clothing in a sexual way. He then tried to put his hands into the victim's clothing to touch her vagina but she told him to stop and pulled away.

The defendant called her a "c***" and did it again. He then forced his hand inside her top and touched her breasts. She told Davies "No, don't be a paedophile". He stopped after he saw the victim had her phone and became concerned she was recording him.

Initially, the victim didn't want to tell anyone about the abuse but she later told her mother what had happened and Davies, of Pen-y-Bryn, Bryntirion, was arrested and convicted of the sexual activity offences on April 28. The court heard he had no relevant previous convictions.

In a victim personal statement read out to the court on Friday, the victim described the abuse as "a headf***" and believed she would not be able to make it through the trial, but had done. She added: "Jami, if you're listening to this, f*** you, I am a child. You f****** me up and screwed me up bad."

She said there were days she was unable to attend school. The victim said: "Knowing my abuser has been found guilty and is being sentenced makes me feel happy for other girls he could have hurt or traumatised. I don't feel the relief I should. I feels good but I don't feel better."

In mitigation, Neil Evans said his client had gone through trauma after a number of family bereavements and turned to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism. He was also involved in an incident when he got out of a moving van, which resulted in him being placed in an induced coma and suffering injuries including a fractured skull. The father-of-four and HGV driver was said to have drunk ten pints of lager on the night of the offences, which was described as "opportunistic".

Judge Lucy Crowther sentenced Davies to a total of 15 months imprisonment. The defendant was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order for 10 years.

Description

A "narcissistic misogynist" indecently assaulted a preschool-aged girl by kissing her with his tongue and told her the abuse was "our secret". The victim said the incident had affected her throughout her life.

Frank Williams, 78, of Abercwmboi, near Aberdare, was described as a "difficult man" by his own barrister after being convicted of indecent assault following a trial. A sentencing judge said there was "0% prospect of rehabilitation" in his case and his pre-sentence report was "full of misogyny and bile".

Addressing a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court Judge Shoman Khan said: "You sexualised a little girl... who thought what you were doing was normal. [The victim's statement] is compelling and the lifelong consequences for her are all too predictable."

The court heard Williams put on music while abusing his victim in the 1990s. He pulled her towards him before kissing her while using his tongue. He told her not to tell anyone and that it was something between them and "our secret". The victim felt "scared" and did not know why he had kissed her but she did what he told her.

In a victim personal statement, she said the abuse had "affected her whole life" and she has received counselling. She said she had suffered nightmares, had no confidence, felt shame, and had mental health issues. As a result of the incident she has struggled to build relationships and has difficulty with trust.

Judge Khan commended the victim's "bravery" in speaking out later in life and said these were words he "could not forget". Addressing the defendant the judge said: "If you had any decency or humility you may have reflected on those words she said in the trial. You may have thought about whether you're the route cause of her difficulty."

In mitigation defence barrister Stephen Thomas acknowledged his client, of Bronallt Terrace, was a "difficult man" with "fixed views on life and society", which he attributed to his generation. He said the defendant was a man of previous good character it was an isolated incident and there had been a period of decades since the offence.

Williams was sentenced to two years imprisonment and will serve half the sentence in custody before he is released. He was made subject to an indefinite restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Description

A pervert who was found in possession of images of a man having sex with a corpse told a 13-year-old boy to send him sexual videos. He was also found to have distributed indecent images.

Paul Meechan, 56, of Cardiff, was arrested by police after he was found to have been speaking to a teenager and incited him to engage in sexual activity. His electronic devices were seized and when examined revealed a number of disgusting images depicting child abuse and necrophilia.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard the defendant possessed an image of a person having sex with a corpse and children as young as seven-months-old being abused. Meechan, of Llanfair Road, Pontcanna, later pleaded guilty to possession of category A, B, and C images, possession of extreme and prohibited images, distribution of category A and B images, sexual communication with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

In mitigation, the court heard the defendant entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity and had referred himself to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity dedicated to preventing child sex abuse. He was using drugs at the time of the offences but had sought to abstain from those substances.

Sentencing, Judge Wayne Beard said: "These images can only produce revulsion in right thinking people... Part of what went on here was your involvement in drugs. you sought to minimise the offences by saying you received no sexual gratification from the images but were interested in them because they were illegal."

Meechan was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Description

A taxi driver asked to use a customer's toilet in her house before forcing his way into her bedroom and raping her. He later denied the sexual attack but his DNA was found on a carpet.

Jakir Hussain, 39, picked up his victim in Cardiff city centre on November 19 last year and drove her back to her home as a paid fare. At the end of the journey, he got into the back of the taxi and locked the doors until she agreed to let him use the toilet in her home.

Despite her protestations, Hussain then made his way into her bedroom and pushed her over the bed before bending her double and pushing her face into the mattress so she struggled to breathe. He removed some of her clothing raped her without using protection.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the defendant's DNA was discovered that linked him to the scene. Hussain, a married father, was traced by CCTV and arrested but he denied any sexual activity took place. He later changed his story, and claimed everything which had taken place was consensual but he was found guilty of rape following a trial.

Reading out a statement to the court, the victim said she was no longer able to remain in her home, due to it being the scene of the rape and causing flashbacks. She said the trauma of being raped had led her to attempting to take her own life.

She said: "Since this incident I have tried to avoid sleep because I am taken back to the night of the incident. I see (the defendant's) face in my head and can remember what he did to me, including flashbacks to parts of the incident such as being trapped in a taxi....

"Immediately following the incident I could barely walk into my room or look at my bed as it triggered flashbacks. I had to see the cut carpet in my bedroom which further reminded me of events. I could only be in my room with the lights on due to the defendant coming into the room during the incident and turning the lights off, making me fear the darkness....

"Since the incident I have not felt able to get into a taxi, I have a complete distrust of all taxi drivers and even impacts me to the extent if female friends go on a night out I will offer to drive them home in the middle of the night. I no longer consider taxis to be safe. I put my trust in what I thought was a professional to take me safely home that night. This has impacted me in all aspects of my life and I'm more likely to distrust other professionals who may be trying to help me."

In mitigation, Hussain, of Watkiss Way, Grangetown, was said to be of previous good character and had lived in the UK for eight years. He is due to become a father for the third time, and financially support his family in the UK and overseas.

Sentencing, Recorder Eugene Egan said: "(The victim) was entitled, as a bare minimum, to be taken safely to the street where she lived by you and to be treated respectfully by you.... You were in a position of trust towards her, a position of trust you grossly abused...

"You asked her to use the toilet as a ruse to gain access to her house, you gained entry by guile. No taxi driver should ever be asking to use the toilet of a female fare passenger. You just wanted to get into her house."

Hussaun was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, and will at least two thirds of the sentence before he is released. He was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for life. He was also made subject to a restraining order and barred from working as a taxi driver indefinitely.

Description

A former shopkeeper has been sent to prison for 12 years after being convicted of child sex offences which happened more than a quarter of a century ago.

Nazir Ahmed, 73, employed a teenaged girl as an assistant at his shop in Ely, Cardiff.

Ahmed has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Showing incredible bravery, over 25 years later, the female contacted South Wales Police to report that she had been subject to repeated sexual abuse.

Ahmed used his position of power as the store manager to prey on a young, vulnerable female for an extended period of time.

Following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Ahmed was found guilty of three counts rape of a child, and on the 1 June 2023, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison and a lifetime on the Sexual Offenders Register.

Lead investigator Detective Mike Lewis said “The victim has to be given a massive amount of credit for her courage and bravery in reporting the offences and pursuing the case through the Criminal Justice System, which is an incredibly difficult and emotional process for victims of such offences.

“We are proud to be able to bring a dangerous offender to justice many years after the crime had been committed. This case shows that those targeting the most vulnerable in society cannot get away with their crimes, and justice will always catch up with them.

“I encourage anyone who has been the victim of a similar crime to report it to us, regardless of how much time has passed, as the crime will be fully investigated, and they will get our full support.”

Description

A sexual predator raped a woman at student accommodation while she was unconscious and later messaged her in order to "get closure". The victim chastised him for messaging her out of the blue and told him: "You are a rapist."

Nathan Thorburn, 25, raped the woman in Cardiff in 2019. She woke up during the attack in immense pain and discovered he was forcing himself upon her. He apologised the next day but did not refer to what had happened.

Years later he contacted the victim on Facebook and asked to discuss what had happened in order to "get closure". She responded with a lengthy reply in which she accused him of "massaging his ego" by turning to the woman he raped in order to absolve his guilt. She told him: "You and I both know what you did to me. You are a rapist."

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the victim and Thorburn had both been drinking alcohol and the victim had had a cannabis spliff during a night out. By the end of the night the victim was extremely intoxicated and returned to the accommodation block.

Thorburn offered to put her to bed but at this point the victim was passing in and out of consciousness and at times thought the defendant was her boyfriend. Prosecutor James Wilson said the victim fell asleep but was unaware Thorburn was on top of her.

The barrister said: "Her clearest memory was she was on her front with her face pushed into the pillow and she felt the defendant's penis in her anus. It took her brain a few seconds to realise what was happening and she woke up to feel the defendant's penis going in and out and it hurt. In a mirror she saw herself and the defendant. She was in pain and wanted to scream but could only manage a whimper and told him to stop. She remained confused about what was happening to her and thought she was dreaming."

The victim later told police she was unaware of the full extent of what Thorburn had done to her and did not know if he was wearing a condom. She described herself feeling "defiled, dirty, vile, and disgusting" about what the defendant had done and "felt like a corpse" while it was happening.

The next day Thorburn made a vague apology but did not say what he was sorry for. The victim told her sister about what had happened but had resolved to "take it to her grave".

Thorburn was sent to prison in 2019 for an unrelated matter and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Following his release from prison he contacted the victim in 2022 on Facebook Messenger. He wrote: "Hey. Can we talk? I wanted to talk about the situation about me and you before I went to prison. I think I knew what I did was wrong and I want some sort of closure I guess. I think it's good to talk about these things with that person to be sure about this. Things have been going on in my mind for a long time that I want to put to rest."

Upon receiving the message the victim was angry that Thorburn had contacted her and asked her to absolve him of guilt for raping her. Her response read: "I don't even know where to begin. I can give you closure in one simple sentence. You are a rapist.

"First, you even messaging me is incredibly selfish and self-serving. I reread the message you sent and can count how many times you say 'I'. You want closure because it's playing on your mind? You want to get closure for assaulting me when I was drunk, passed out, and vulnerable and put me to bed. I will never get closure. For me it will last a lifetime."

Thorburn responded to the message making admissions to raping the victim but she had blocked him. He compiled the messages in a document which he circulated to a sexual assault referral service as well as other agencies. The document was picked up by the defendant's offender manager who visited him on June 13 last year. The victim was later identified and formally interviewed.

The defendant, of Kingsway, Cardiff, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to rape and breach of a SHPO after he was found to have deleted his internet history. The court heard he had previous convictions for accessing indecent images of children having first been convicted in 2019 for accessing 14 Category A images, 19 Category B images, and 149 Category C images. He was later convicted on another count of accessing indecent photos of a child in January 2020 as well as a breach of a SHPO having viewed images of children being raped and admitting he "got a thrill" from doing so.

In a statement she read out to the court the victim said the rape had affected her "emotionally and socially". She said: "I feel Nathan has taken control of the situation for three years. I feel now I want to be in control. What has happened to me has a lifelong effect. If Nathan is sent to prison for this he won't suffer for a lifetime like I have to.

"Nathan choosing to rape me is a lifelong scab I will pick at forever and forever. I was a trusting and caring person; I was soft and gentle in my approach to people and life. Because of what he's done to me I have turned to someone who is hardened. I can't feel emotions towards people. It breaks my heart because this isn't me. I can't trust anyone anymore. It's exhausting and draining to feel like this – constantly having my guard up. I am a broken shell of the woman I once was and woman I was going to be." The victim said Thorburn messaging her had "felt like a punch to the gut" and he had only thought of himself by asking her to "absolve him of the harm he caused".

Hilary Roberts, for Thorburn, said while mitigation for his client was "scant" he had recognised that his behaviour was "wrong", which had troubled him and caused him anxiety. This anxiety had led him to contact his victim "seeking to put things right," which the barrister admitted was done "in a clumsy way" and had caused "obvious stress and aggravation".

Sentencing Thorburn Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told him that his victim had been "extremely confused about what was going on" during the attack but his actions had had "a devastating impact on her and her life". Describing him as a "dangerous offender" she also said in her sentencing remarks that he "must have known [he] would cause significant distress" by contacting her years later.

She added: "You did a terrible thing to [your victim]. She will have to live with the consequences for the rest of her life. Nothing was her fault. The fault, responsibility, and blame is all yours."

Thorburn was handed a 13-year extended sentence comprising a custodial term of nine years with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. If he is released he will serve the remaining period of the custodial sentence on licence before serving the extended licence period. He was also made subject to a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting or approaching the victim or entering any premises where she lives, works, or studies. He will now be on the sex offenders' register for life.