RAPIST MUSIC STUDENT JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS
A MUSIC student has been jailed for seven years for raping a sleeping woman after a night out.
Benjamin Williams Stacey, 25, was a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff when he raped a woman at his student home in Cathays in 2018.
The assault took place following a night out in the city centre when the victim was extremely intoxicated after drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.
Williams Stacey took advantage of the woman, whose identity is protected by lifelong anonymity, and raped her after she had passed out and he found himself alone with her.
The defendant denied rape, but when questioned by officers if he had had sexual intercourse with the victim, he answered “I don’t know”.
His DNA was later linked to a stain found on the victim’s underwear and he was found guilty of rape following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court last month.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, a victim personal statement was read out to the court by prosecutor Roger Griffiths on behalf of the victim.
The woman described an incident following the rape when she bumped into the defendant at a venue during a Wales v England rugby match.
She said: “I was at the bar and turned round and Ben was in front of me and I couldn’t believe he was standing there. Since then I have always looked around the corner when I walked around.”
The woman also said she had seen Williams Stacey when out on another occasion and she claimed he seemed to walk past her on purpose.
She added: “[My life] dramatically changed after being raped by Ben and I felt cheated because I was never able to go out and socialise the same way after what had happened to me.
“I stayed in and socialised with housemates so I would feel safe and I went to see my GP and started taking anti-depressants.
“The incident has had a major impact on my life. I am more nervous of male company in general and I never felt like that before.
“This has massively affected my mental health.
“I was a very outgoing bubbly person but I became very reserved and I didn’t want to go out at all in case I was sexually assaulted.
“I didn’t drink the same as I used to because I was scared I could get raped again so I wanted to remain in control.”
The victim also said she could only sleep in her own bed and was unable to nap elsewhere as she was scared a stranger would enter the room and sexually assault her.
She added: “I felt used and violated by what was done to me by a man I didn’t know personally.
“I had dreams of Ben’s face and flashbacks of the incident which would result in panic attacks, and I ask myself why did this happen to me.
“I started to self-harm when things were bad as a way of distracting me from the thoughts in my head and I had suicidal thoughts. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over what happened to me.”
In mitigation, defence barrister Kevin Seal said his client accepted the verdict of the jury but he maintains his innocence.
He also said Williams Stacey had struggled in the prison environment and was mistakenly labelled a category A prisoner which meant he was unable to receive visitors or phone calls.
Sentencing, Recorder Paul Hopkins QC said: “It’s clear your behaviour has had a profound effect upon that young woman and she has described how your behaviour has impacted upon her lifestyle.
“It’s a mark of the character of this woman that she’s now having more good days than bad days and impresses the positive outlook she has.
“You were and are a talented and capable musician having gained a place at this prestigious college. You had a bright future ahead of you that you threw away that night by your grossly violating behaviour. You have wasted that talent.”
Williams Stacey, of Cyfarthfa Street, Roath, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.