TV farmer spared jail for sex offence against girl under 16:
66-YR-OLD SPARED JAIL
AFARMER who shot to fame after he starred in a BBC TV documentary will lose his livelihood and his home after he was convicted of a historic sex offence dating back some 30 years.
Mold Crown Court heard how organic farmer Gwyn Ogwen Thomas, 66, would have to move o u t of Blaen y Nant at Nant Francon, Bethesda, Gwynedd after 25 years living there.
The National Trust decided not to renew his tenancy after his conviction.
Thomas recently appeared on a BBC documentary Year in Snowdonia, where he was followed for a year as a shepherd.
The court heard how his actions had a deep effect on the victim, now a woman in her 40s, and continued to do so.
Thomas attended court with a bag on Friday after he was warned on a previous occasion that he would be jailed. But on Friday the sentence was suspended.
Thomas received a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years, was placed on 60 days’ rehabilitation and he was ordered to carry out 250 hours’ unpaid work.
He must register with the police as a sex offender for 10 years.
Judge Timothy Petts told how the offence clearly passed the custody threshold but he took into account that he had not committed any other offences before or since.
The offence dated back to the late 1980s and early 90s when the victim was aged under 16 years.
Thomas denied three charges but was convicted of one last month.
That involved him dressed in only a towel after a shower pushing her against a piece of furniture, slipping his hand inside her knickers and pressing himself against her, telling her there was no point screaming.
She felt scared and helpless and ran away as quickly as she should.
“What you did to her that day has impacted on her,” the judge said.
She had courageously read a powerful victim statement in open court and he said he wished to pay tribute to the dignity with which she had done that and wished her well in the future, dealing with what Thomas had done to her.
There had been a considerable age gap and she was a vulnerable young girl at the time, the judge said.
He was a man who made a significant contribution to society as a farmer and through the various activities that he carried out associated with farming, the judge said
“It was said to be a oneoff aberration with no previous or subsequent offending. You are unlikely to be back in court in the future,” the judge told him.
The level of risk that he posed was so low that he was not suitable for any specific sex offender programme. But he was suitable for specific work in the community with the probation service.
Prosecuting barrister Myles Wilson said that what Thomas had done had a significant impact into the victim’s adult life.
She said it had affected her mental health and her social well being and she had sought professional help. She had panic attacks and nightmares and had even wondered if it was her fault but now she had children of her own it had helped her understand no child could be expected to understand such a situation. It had taken her more than 30 years to try and come to terms with what had happened.
It had been a huge struggle: “I know I will never forget what happened to me,” she said.
Defending barrister Maria Massellis said that her client was acutely aware that he faced his first prison sentence but she urged that it be suspended.
The offence was a single incident but before and afterwards he had led a blemish free life.
He was a man of good character who had made a positive contribution to society in particular in respect of his commitment to organic farming methods, Ms Massellis added.
The loss of his good character was a devastating blow for him.
He also faced the loss of his livelihood and the family home.
By October all the livestock on the farm had to be sold off or otherwise dealt with and arrangements put in place for a new home to be found.
His wife in a letter had made it clear that at the moment she could not quite comprehend how that was going to be achieved if he was to receive an immediate custodial sentence.
Since he had been charged, he had been unable to have unsupervised access to his own grandchildren.
In 1996 Thomas took over the 311 hectare hill farm and was the only full time farmer left on Cwm Idwal.