Caernarfon Crown Court (Image: Google Maps)
Last Updated: 46 seconds ago
A 49-year-old who caused a child “very serious psychological harm” through sexual abuse the survivor described as “terrifying” has been jailed for 15 years, with a further year on extended licence.
Timothy Jones, of Lon Y Bedw in Bangor, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Tuesday (September 15) after a jury convicted him in July of sexual assault and sexual activity with a child. Judge Timothy Petts told him the verdicts rested on “clear and compelling evidence”.
Release terms
Jones will spend at least 10 years of the 15-year term behind bars. He can only be freed after that point if the Parole Board is satisfied he no longer poses a risk. Whatever remains of the sentence will then be served on licence, followed by an additional 12 months of extended licence.
A sexual harm prevention order lasting 25 years was also imposed. Jones followed the hearing over a videolink from custody, his arms folded.
The survivor’s statement
The person Jones abused read their own statement to the court, describing a life still shaped by what was done to them.
“No amount of therapy or antidepressants have helped,” they said. “I’m dependent on strong painkillers just to have the ability to move. Drinking helped me to forget for a short time, so I drank almost every night.”
Flashbacks come “every single day”, they told the court, and “will never go away”. They said they had self-harmed and had thought about taking their own life more than once.
“He used to find it hilarious, but I found it terrifying,” they added.
“Justice does heal a little, which is something I didn’t think would be possible.”
Judge’s words to the survivor
Judge Petts thanked them directly for speaking.
“Thank you for reading your statement,” he said. “I know the whole process has been very difficult for you. I’m sure coming today wasn’t easy, either.
“But thank you for reading out the impact that these dreadful offences have had on you.
“Hopefully, today marks the end of a chapter in your life. A lot has happened in it, but you can turn the page and start every day with a blank page, and I hope there are many pages still to be written for you.”
Mitigation
Duncan Bould, for Jones, told the court a “number of personal testimonials” had been submitted on his client’s behalf. Jones had no previous convictions, cautions or reprimands, Mr Bould said, and had “worked hard and provided for others throughout his adult life”, building his own business after leaving school without qualifications.
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