The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Sexual abuse couple jailed Court: ‘Fred and Rose West of Barry’ get combined 36 years for offences
A husband and wife described as the “Fred and Rose West of Barry” have been jailed for a total of 36 years for grooming and raping teenage girls.
Peter Griffiths, 65, and Avril Griffiths, 61, abused the girls in a number of locations including at a sex party on a fishing boat.
The pair were found guilty of rape, indecent assault and taking indecent photos of a child relating to three female victims between 1978 and 1993.
Yesterday Cardiff Crown Court heard the couple acted to “fulfil their sexual fantasies” by grooming the girls before raping and assaulting them.
One girl was repeatedly raped by Peter Griffiths, who was “aided, abetted and encouraged” by his wife, with the girl being plied with alcohol before being passed between two men for sex.
The couple forced her to have sex with Peter Griffiths in his van while strangers watched.
She originally made a complaint to South Wales Police in 2000 but the force chose not to take up her allegations.
A second girl was also subjected to public sexual abuse and was indecently photographed when she was just 14.
“The jury convicted both defendants on every count”
A third girl who was also groomed and befriended by the couple was drugged and raped by Peter Griffiths with the help of his wife.
The court heard statements from the nowadult victims, with each describing developing mental health problems and turning to drink and drugs after abused.
Peter Griffiths was jailed for 21 years for eight counts of rape, three of indecent assault and two they were of taking an indecent photograph of a child .
His wife was sentenced to 15 years in jail for five counts of rape, two of taking an indecent photograph of a child and two of indecent assault.
Prosecutor Caroline Harris said: “The jury convicted both defendants on every count.”
The couple, from Barry Road, Barry, South Wales, were told they would be registered sex offenders when released from prison.