Boy told mother not to cry as he recalled abuse
A BOY told his mother not to cry when he confessed he had been sexually assaulted when he was a youngster, a court has heard.
His abuser Connor Rees, now 20, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday where he pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and causing a child to watch a sexual act.
The court was told the offences came to light when the victim, who has automatic lifelong anonymity, confessed the events to his mother years after they had taken place.
She started to talk to her son about sex education when he told her he already knew about it due to the incident that had taken place previously with Rees.
Prosecutor Susan Ferrier read a victim personal statement and said the incident had left the young boy feeling “anxious”.
The statement read: “I trusted him. He did a very wrong thing and he should have said sorry.”
The victim’s mother also provided a statement to the court, which read: “I can’t forgive you for what you have done. He thought he had done something wrong when, in fact, you were all to blame.”
Hashim Salmman, defending, said the defendant understood that detailed mitigation had been submitted in writing.
Judge Geraint Walters said he thought that the defendant seemed young for his age.
Mr Salmman told the court the defendant also developed an “obsession” with pornography following the death of this father.
After describing the content Rees showed to the victim, Judge Walters said: “Having shown him that, you asked him to do that to you and he did. You did the same to him. It was that single sexual activity that gave rise to the three offences.”
Judge Walters told the court there was no evidence Rees had committed any other offence of a similar nature since.
He said following the suicide of his father the defendant turned to the internet and developed an addiction to pornography.
“There is no evidence in this case that you have however any interest in child pornography,” he added.
Judge Walters said the information about the incident came to light when the victim’s mother started to talk to her child about sex.
At the time the victim was said to have replied: “I know about all that” and explained what had happened with Rees to his mother.
She then asked him to repeat the story and she recorded him recalling the events.
Judge Walters said the footage shows the mother being understandably “very upset” and it proved to be vital evidence in the case.
He told the court: “She was crying to which the victim comforts her by telling her not to cry, and that it was a long time ago, and that he had put it behind him.
“That, it seemed to me, was part of the most crucial evidence that a jury could have heard.”
Rees, of Volunteer Street, Pentre, was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.