Hughie Janes 29

Description

A man who raped an 11-year-old boy sees nothing wrong with engaging in sexual activity with children, a court has heard.

Hughie Janes believes children of primary school age know what sexual activity is and "they want it". Swansea Crown Court heard the defendant thinks he was giving pleasure to the boy he raped, and he does not think he committed an offence. Passing an extended sentence on Janes, a judge told him he posed a danger to children.

The court heard 27-year-old Janes abused the boy at an address in Carmarthenshire, raping the child while putting his hand over the youngster's mouth and then performing oral sex on him. John Philpotts, prosecuting, said when arrested and interviewed the defendant gave a prepared statement in which he denied the allegations against him, and then declined to answer any questions.

Janes, of Clos Cefn y Maes, Llwynhendy, Llanelli, had previously pleaded guilty to raping a child under 13 and to causing a child to engage in sexual activity when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 11 previous convictions for 18 offences including dishonesty matters, drugs offences and violence.

Dyfed Thomas, for Janes, said the defendant had told him he was sorry and remorseful for his actions. He said his client had experienced mental health issues and problems caused by cannabis use - but those were not matters which were relied upon in mitigation.

Recorder IWL Jones told Janes he had no doubt that what he did to his victim would have a life-long effect. He said he had read the very detailed and "concerning" pre-sentence report on the defendant in which Janes said he did not see any problem having a sexual relationship with a male child. Quoting the report, the recorder said Janes believes children as young as 10 "know what sexual activity is and, in that regard, they want it" and "he sees nothing wrong with committing sexual acts with children". The report also said Janes believes he "committed a pleasurable experience" on the boy he raped.

Recorder Jones said the author of the report had concluded that Janes does not believe he has committed an offence, has no remorse or empathy and poses a significant risk of inflicting serious harm by committing further offences. The recorder said everything he had read about Janes led him to the conclusion that only an extended sentence was suitable. He told the defendant: "You are dangerous. There is a significant risk that you will commit further specified offences and, by doing so, you will cause further serious physical or psychological harm to one or more people."

With a one-third discount for his guilty please Janes was given a 12-and-a-half year extended sentence comprising six-and-a-half years custody followed by an extended six-year licence period. The defendant 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 released. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.