‘Wicked’ sexual assault on teenage cafe worker

A 65-YEAR-OLD man sexually assaulted a teenage cafe worker then said he thought she was consenting “because she did not struggle”, a court has heard.

Edwin Jones tried to kiss the youngster and then touched her breasts before putting his hand down her trousers.

He later dismissed the incident as “silly”.

Swansea Crown Court heard the attack has had a significant impact on the victim who suffers from flashbacks and panic attacks and who scrubs her body until it bleeds in an effort to clean herself.

Hannah George, prosecuting, said the incident happened in December last year and began with the defendant telling the young member of staff that “all I want for Christmas is you” and following her around the premises before touching her backside.

The court heard the teenager decided to ignore Jones as she did not want to make a “fuss” and she carried on with her duties. Jones subsequently left the cafe.

The prosecutor said a little while later the teenager was outside the premises when Jones again approached her.

This time he kissed her neck and tried to kiss her on the mouth but she turned away. The court heard the young woman “froze” as Jones put his hand up her top and touched her breasts while making “lewd comments” and telling her to “take your bra off for Christmas”.

The defendant then put his hands inside his victim’s leggings and touched her backside before placing her hand on his crotch and asking: “Am I hard yet?”. The incident only stopped when a woman on a mobility scooter drove by.

The incident was reported to the cafe manager and the police were called. Jones was arrested and in interview said it had “only been a hug” and he said he thought the teenager was consenting “because she did not struggle”. He described the whole incident as “silly”.

In a victim impact statement which was read to the court the teenager said she no longer feels safe when she leaves the house and she now carries a rape alarm with her.

She said she constantly feels her attacker’s hands touching her and she scrubs her body to the point where it bleeds.

The young woman said she suffers with flashbacks and panic attacks which make her feel “violated” all over again and she said she no longer trusts anyone outside of her family and circle of friends.

Edwin Jones, of Station Road, Ystradgynlais, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has three previous convictions for 11 offences including indecent assault of a child and gross indecency with a child from 2000.

Giles Hayes, for Jones, said the defendant lived with his 98-year-old mother and is “almost a recluse” with little in the way of social interactions or engagements with the opposite sex.

He said references before the court, including one from Canon Pelosi from the Catholic church in Ystradgynlais, described a “lonely, kind man” and, while acknowledging the case crossed the custody threshold, the advocate invited the court to find there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in Jones’ case and to suspend the sentence.

Recorder Simon Mills told the defendant what he had done had been “wicked” and he said it was clear from what he had read and heard that his actions on the day in question had caused serious harm to his victim.

The recorder said he was mindful of the impact on Jones’ elderly mother were he to be sent straight to prison but he said the offending was so serious only immediate custody was an appropriate punishment.

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty plea Jones was sentenced to nine moths in prison. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. Jones will be a registered sex offender for the next 10 years.

Dyfed-powys Police does not release photographs of defendants sentenced to less than 12 months custody.