Description
A MAN from Llangollen who “took advantage” of a group of “vulnerable” and “troubled” teenagers has been jailed.
Stephen Thomas, of Erw Deg, was sentenced at Mold Crown Court today (October 10) to six years and six months’ imprisonment.
The 46-year-old had previously admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), supplying a class A drug (cocaine), and attempted sexual assault of a child.
Simon Rogers, prosecuting, told the court that Thomas invited the group into his home, with the promise of drugs, alcohol, and a “place where they could spend time”.
This took place across a six-week period in January and February 2022 – he was already a registered sex offender, so was subject to a SHPO at the time, which meant his mobile phone was being monitored.
He told the teenagers he was dying, which made them “sympathetic” to him and exchanged mobile numbers with them.
Thomas was also moving SIM cards between multiple phones at the time, while the phone he used to contact the group was deliberately hidden from police.
Inviting the teenagers to “chill” at his house became a “regular occurrence”, Mr Rogers said, adding that Thomas began to buy them alcohol and cocaine.
One of the teenagers also said Thomas would “always want pictures of us on his phone, but he would never be in them”.
On one occasion, one of the females passed out on Thomas’ sofa after he had given her cocaine and alcohol, while most of the rest of the group were outside.
Thomas carried her upstairs and lay her on his bed before starting to remove her clothing, but it was at this point that some of the group returned and noticed him.
They became “angry” at him, because it was apparent that Thomas was seeking to “take advantage of an extremely vulnerable girl for his own sexual gratification”.
Following this, police became involved – at the time of his arrest, Thomas had an old mobile phone on his person, which the battery was falling out of.
In interview, he painted the children as “liars”.
One of the children said in a statement: “I don’t want to be his victim. I just want to be OK. I will be a survivor, not his victim.”
Another said they felt “violated” by Thomas, and added that he “ruined my childhood”, while a third said they “feel sick at the thought of seeing him”.
A fourth child added: “I feel like life just spiralled out of control. I’ll always be scared of him, he made my childhood hell.”
Defending Thomas, who had four previous convictions for 34 offences, Duncan Bould said his client is suffering from “chronic and serious ill health” which “isn’t going to get better”.
He said Thomas has made “a little bit of progress” since being remanded in custody, and asked the court to acknowledge his “limited number of previous convictions”.
Sentencing, Judge Nicola Jones told Thomas: “You put them in positions of particular vulnerability for the purposes of grooming them.
“It’s clear that the aim was to groom these children for sexual purposes.”
Thomas was made subject to a SHPO and sex offenders register notification requirements for an indefinite period.
Judge Jones also issued indefinite restraining orders, preventing Thomas from contacting five people.
All items seized from him by police were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.