Jonathan Jones 39

Description

Sex offender who is banned from all multi-storey car parks jailed for breaching court order

A sex offender who is banned from going into any multi-storey car park has been jailed after being seen entering one with a can of petrol, a court has heard.

Jonathan Michael Jones has a lifelong ban from entering any covered car park after sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy who was waiting for his mum in one.

When a witness who knew the defendant saw him walking into a Swansea city centre multi-storey he called the police saying he thought Jones was going to sniff the petrol he was carrying in a container.

Swansea Crown Court heard that in 2005 Jones was jailed for 42 months and made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences protection order after he abused a young boy.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, said on that occasion the defendant had approached a 12-year-old boy who was waiting for his mother in a multi-storey car park and pushed him into a lift where he put his hands down the youngster's trousers and kissed him.

As well as being sent to prison Jones was made the subject of a sexual offences protection order with a number of conditions including one prohibiting him entering any covered car park and one banning him from seeking contact with or associating with males under the age of 18.

The court heard Jones came to the attention of police in May 2019 following allegations he had sexually assaulted a teenager. No action was ultimately taken but Jones admitted he had been in the company of a 17-year-old boy and a number of other men at his home address on the day in question and they had all been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

The 36-year-old came to the attention of police in Swansea again on November 24 of the same year when a man who knew him saw him entering the multi-storey car park that links The Strand and High Street railway station while carrying a can of petrol. The witness believing Jones had gone to sniff the petrol called 999. When arrested Jones told officers he used the car park as a shortcut to get to his nephew's house.

Jones, of Woodford Road, Blaenymaes, Swansea, admitted two counts of breaching a sexual offences protection order. The court heard he has 14 previous convictions for 26 offences including the sexual assault on the 12-year-old boy.

David Singh, for Jones, said the defendant claimed he was taking the can of petrol to his brother whose car had run out of fuel. He added that his client had been diagnosed with mild learning difficulties.

Judge Paul Thomas QC described the breaches of the order as "flagrant" and said Jones had done things he knew he was not allowed to do.

Giving the defendant credit for his guilty pleas the judge sentenced him to a total of 12 months in prison comprising 10 months for the contact with the teenager and two months for entering the car park. The defendant will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.