Alfie Lee (Image: Gwent Police)
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A young man classified as a dangerous offender has been handed an extended custodial sentence for raping a teenage girl while she was unconscious.
Alfie Lee, of Ebbw Vale, carried out the attack during the summer of 2023 when both he and his victim were 16 years old. The pair had been smoking cannabis together before the girl fell asleep – and Lee sexually assaulted her while she was unable to defend herself.
Now 19, Lee stood trial at Cardiff Crown Court after denying any wrongdoing. A jury unanimously rejected his account and convicted him of rape.
The attack and its aftermath
When the victim woke during the assault, Lee told her she had wanted it to happen. He subsequently denied to police that any sexual contact had taken place and maintained that position throughout his trial.
Sentencing him, Judge Shomon Khan said: “Your victim was asleep and defenceless at the time.”
“When she woke up, you told her that she wanted it.”
The judge continued: “You denied any sexual activity to the police and you maintained your position at trial. The evidence against you was overwhelming, in my view, and the jury unanimously found you guilty. You are in denial and have minimised your criminality.”
Impact on the victim
Prosecutor Georgina Buckley told the court the offence had caused significant psychological harm to the complainant. Judge Khan praised the young woman for her courage both during the trial and in reading her impact statement aloud in court.
In her statement, the victim said: “I’m still struggling with my anxiety. Putting me through the court process was a traumatic experience and a stressful time.”
She added: “Now that he has been found guilty, this is a chapter I feel I can finally move away from.”
Defence mitigation
Christopher Evans, representing Lee, urged the court to consider his client’s youth as the strongest factor in mitigation. He told the judge Lee had been just 16 at the time and was still only 19.
Mr Evans described the defendant as “emotionally immature” and said he had spent part of his childhood in care. He added: “He is supported by his father who is in court today. The defendant has self-harmed and tried to take his own life. He knows it’s going to be term of imprisonment and the impact of the sentence is going to be difficult for him to deal with. This appears to be an isolated incident.”
Sentencing and previous offending
The probation service assessed Lee as posing a high risk to the public. He has six previous convictions, though none were of a sexual nature. In 2024, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment after being caught carrying a dagger in the street in Blackwood.
Lee was given an extended custodial sentence comprising four years in a young offender institution followed by a two-year extended licence period. He must register as a sex offender for life and is subject to an indefinite restraining order prohibiting any contact with his victim.
