Joel Evans 23

Description

A young father has been jailed after being convicted of raping a woman at a party.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Joel Evans raped the victim following a party at a rural address in Ceredigion on October 30, 2022.

Prosecutor Tom Scapens said she was in a "vulnerable position" as the property was "in a rural area" and the people there "were relatively unknown to her."

"She was frozen, scared to move," he said.

Mr Scapens added that Evans, then 20, was under the influence of alcohol and drugs during the offence.

Evans, of the B4337 at Talsarn, denied rape but was found guilty after a July trial. Now 23, he had eight previous convictions for 13 offences, none sexual.

In her victim statement, read by Mr Scapens, she said: "I’m still, even now, fearful of leaving the house by myself. Not just through fear of him, but fear of it happening again.

"Any male interaction now puts me on edge. I have lost trust in men.

"I was frightened people would not believe me."

She added that reliving the incident in court negatively impacted her mental health.

Defense barrister James Hartson said: "I do not intend to diminish the offence’s impact or its seriousness."

Despite the verdict, Evans "continues to maintain his innocence," Mr Hartson noted. He highlighted Evans' recent fatherhood, with little contact since remand: "He will clearly feel the difficulty of the separation from that child."

Mr Hartson added: "This is the defendant’s first custodial sentence."

Judge Catherine Richards criticized character references implying the allegations were "malicious," telling Evans: "The jury were sure this woman did not come to court to tell malicious lies about you."

Evans was sentenced to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment, serving up to two-thirds in custody. He must register as a sex offender for life, and the victim received a 10-year restraining order.