Jack Roberts 23

Description

A 21-year-old man "cared only for his own selfish sexual desires" when he raped a teenager, a court has heard. Jack Roberts pinned his victim down as he attacked her, then told the terrified young woman not to report what had happened to family members or the police.

Roberts denied rape, telling his trial at Cardiff Crown Court that the sexual contact had been consensual. But a jury rejected that version of events, and convicted him. Roberts, of Hinter Path, Fairwater, Cwmbran, returned to the dock on Friday, May 6, to be sentenced.

In a statement from the victim which was read to the court she said the rape had left her suffering with terrible anxiety and depression, having trouble sleeping, and experiencing panic attacks. She said she no longer feels comfortable around males - for example on public transport - and has had to abandon her studies as a result of what happened.

Marian Lewis, for Roberts, said said the incident took place in March 2020 and that since then the defendant had matured and "is not the same person he was at the time". She said letters and character references submitted to the court on the defendant's behalf described him as a good and a kind young man who "led a pro-social lifestyle". The court heard Roberts has no previous convictions.

Recorder Bilal Siddique told the defendant he had "cared only for your own selfish sexual desires" when he raped his victim. He said in his view Roberts had shown little remorse for what he had done, and noted that in his pre-sentence report the defendant had maintained his innocence. He also described the defendant's behaviour after the rape as "manipulative".

Roberts was sentenced to six-and-a-half years detention in a young offenders' institution. He will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life. There were shouts of support and kisses blown from the public gallery as the defendant was taken down to the cells.