Locations
Mansel Street, Carmarthen, Wales, SA31
Description
James Thomas was convicted of 21 counts of rape of a girl under 13, sexual assault, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
A man who spent years sexually abused two young vulnerable girls has been made the subject of an extended sentence as a dangerous offender. James Thomas carried out a prolonged "campaign of rape" against one young girl and sexually assaulted another over a six-year period. The abuse started when one of the victims was aged just five.
Thomas, aged 42, denied a total of 21 offences including oral, anal, and vaginal rape but was convicted following a trial at Swansea Crown Court. The court heard victim statements from the two young girls he abused in which they detailed the psychological impact the sexual offending has had on their lives including feeling scared around men, feeling isolated, suffering with nightmares and flashbacks, and resorting to self-harming to mask the emotional pain. As victims of sexual offences the females have lifelong legal anonymity.
James Thomas, of Mansel Street, Carmarthen, had previously been convicted of nine counts of rape of a child under 13, two of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and 10 of sexual assault of a child under 13 at trial in March when he returned to the dock for sentencing on Monday. He has no previous convictions.
Ian Ibrahim, for Thomas, said the dad-of-two faced a sentence that would change his life forever. He said the defendant had always worked hard, mainly in the car industry, to provide for his family and in recent years had experienced the deaths of both parents.
Judge Catherine Richards told Thomas he had targeted and manipulated two young and vulnerable girls and subjected one to what could properly be called a "campaign of rape". She said having heard all the evidence in the case and having read a pre-sentence report on the defendant she was satisfied that he posed a significant risk of committing further sexual offences against young girls and that an extended sentence was necessary to protect the public.
Thomas was given a 24-year extended sentence comprising 22 years in custody followed by a two-year licence period. He must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be returned to the community. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.
Speaking after the sentencing Mandy Tobias, district crown prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Rape is a harrowing crime that has a devastating effect on the victim. Thomas repeatedly abused two children to satisfy his own desires and now he will answer for his crimes thanks to the courage the children have shown in speaking out."