Cardiff Man Gets 14 Years for Rape and Secret Filming

A Cardiff man who tried to film himself raping a teenage woman and secretly recorded consensual encounters with other women has been given a 14-year extended sentence. 📱⚖️

Ryan Bonsu, 30, of Heol Undeb, Beddau, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after being convicted of rape and pleading guilty to two counts of voyeurism. The court heard he has previous convictions for exposure, including exposing himself to McDonald’s drive-thru staff.

The illicit recordings came to light when Bonsu, whilst in custody, asked a friend to remove his computer hard drive from his flat. The friend checked the contents and handed the device to police, who were able to identify and trace women in two videos.

In a powerful impact statement read to the court, the rape victim said Bonsu had “stripped me of my femininity” and made her feel like an “object”. She explained she now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and flashbacks so intense they leave her struggling to breathe.

“Where once I had the confidence to go out and enjoy life, I can no longer do that,” she told the court. “The defendant had stopped me reaching my full potential. I hope justice will be done and other families will be protected from him.”

Abigail Jackson, defending, said Bonsu was an “extremely bright and capable man” whose life had taken “a very different path to the one his family envisaged for him”. She said he had asked her to apologise to his victims and was “truly sorry for everyone who had been affected by his actions”.

Judge Shomon Khan said Bonsu had engaged in “predatory behaviour” which had escalated over time. He told the defendant: “You over-powered your young victim because of your need for sexual gratification.”

The judge noted that a pre-sentence report assessed Bonsu as posing “a very high risk of serious harm to females in their late teens”, leading to a finding of dangerousness.

Bonsu received a 14-year extended sentence comprising 10 years in custody followed by four years on extended licence. He can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element, but this will be decided by the Parole Board.

He was also made subject to a 15-year sexual harm prevention order and will be a registered sex offender for life. As part of the order, he’s prohibited from having dating app profiles in any name other than his own unless registered with police.