Abuser ‘intimidated girl into silence’ after attacks
AMAN who spent years subjecting a schoolgirl to sexual assaults has been jailed still protesting his innocence.
Alan Owens abused the girl in the 1990s and then intimidated her into not reporting the offending.
The victim has been left suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors.
However, in a statement read to the court she said she was grateful to the 12 members of the jury who believed her at trial.
Owens had denied indecent assault of a child and attempted rape of a child but was convicted at trial at Cardiff Crown Court. The 52-yearold returned to the dock on Thursday to be sentenced.
The court heard the offending happened in the 1990s when the victim was of primary school age, and involved repeated sexual assaults over the course of around four years. The offending also included the attempted rape of the child.
The court heard Owens intimidated the youngster into not revealing what was going on, and it was not until she was an adult and a mother to a daughter that she felt able to report him.
In an impact statement which was read to the court by prosecution counsel Julia Cox, the victim said she had spent years wondering “why me?” and questioning what she had done to deserve what happened to her.
She said Owens “tainted and took away my childhood” and left her with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors, and needing medication to allow her to get on with her life.
She said she was grateful that 12 strangers on the jury had believed her story and given her justice after so many years of suffering, adding: “The best thing I have ever given myself is the courage to speak up.”
Alan Roy Owens, of Maple Avenue, Brackla, Bridgend, had previously been convicted of seven counts of indecent assault of a child and one count of attempted rape of a child
when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
He has two previous convictions for unrelated offending – a public order matter, and driving with excess alcohol.
Marian Lewis, for Owens, said it was clear from the pre-sentence report on the defendant that he maintains his innocence.
She said the defendant’s wife is going to be “devastated” by the inevitable lengthy custodial sentence and the resultant loss of their home, and will have to “adjust and start life anew”.
Judge Lucy Crowther told Owens he had sexually abused his young victim on multiple occasions and then “intimidated her into silence”, and she said the impact of the offending was clear from the statement which had been read to the court.
At one stage the defendant interrupted the judge from the dock to say he had not done it, and he was told to be quiet.
The judge noted that the defendant had referred to his victim in “offensive and derogatory terms” to the author of his pre-sentence report.
Owens was made the subject of a 16-year extended sentence as an offender of particular concern, comprising 15 years in custody followed by a one-year licence period.
The defendant must serve twothirds of the 15 years before he can apply for release, but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released and on what conditions he can be released.
Owens will be a registered sex offender for life and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his access to children.