A man who drove an ice cream van around the Rhondda Valley has been handed a 25 year sentence for raping and sexually abusing two children in the early 2000s.
Ceri Williams, 71, of Maes y Rhedyn, Maerdy, Ferndale, insisted throughout that his accusers were lying, but he was convicted following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.
The sentence
Recorder Christian Jowett imposed a special custodial sentence as an offender of particular concern, totalling 25 years. It is made up of:
- 24 years in custody
- A one-year extended licence period
Williams will be able to apply to the Parole Board for release once he has served two-thirds of the custodial element.
He will also:
- Remain on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life
- Be bound by an indefinite sexual harm prevention order
The judge’s remarks
Speaking directly to Williams, the recorder said: “You alleged they were lying. They were not lying. You were lying.”
He said the evidence heard at trial left no doubt that the abuse had affected both victims for life. He added that the pre-sentence report made it plain that Williams still denies his guilt and shows no empathy for his victims or insight into what he did.
What the court heard
The offending happened at a time when Williams was running an ice cream van in the community. Over a sustained period he groomed a young boy, sexually assaulted him and raped him, with some of the abuse carried out inside the van.
While he was abusing the boy, Williams also raped a young girl.
The court was told that on one occasion his wife walked in on him raping the boy and then took part in the abuse herself. She has since died.
Williams was found guilty of 15 counts covering:
- Rape of a child
- Indecency with a child
- Indecent assault of a child
- Engaging in sexual activity with a child
How it came to light
It was 2023 before the male victim told his partner and family what had happened to him as a child. Police were contacted, and their investigation uncovered a second victim, who was female.
Williams was arrested in July 2024. When cautioned, he replied: “I am going to get done for this – I’ve seen this kind of thing on the news.”
In interview, he handed officers a prepared statement denying the allegations and claiming his accusers were lying.
The victims’ statements
Prosecution barrister Ffion Thomas read statements to the court from both victims describing the damage the abuse has done to their lives.
The male victim said it had left him unable to trust anyone. He told how he sometimes wakes up screaming during the night, and how the smell of stale cigarette smoke brings memories flooding back and makes him feel sick. He said he wished the flashbacks and thoughts he lives with would “go away” so he could get on with his life.
He said: “My entire life has been a complete misery.”
The female victim said “numb” was the only word she could find for how she feels, and that what was done to her will never leave her. She described scrubbing her skin until it bled and bathing in Dettol disinfectant, and said she did not believe she would ever feel “truly clean”.
She said: “My life was taken away from me before it properly started.”
The defence
Steven Thomas, representing Williams, told the court his client’s physical health was “very poor”.
He asked the recorder not to impose an extended sentence. He argued that, in the circumstances, a lengthy determinate sentence would amount to a whole-life term “by any other name”.
Comments
Comments on this story are checked before they appear. Please don’t name anyone the story doesn’t, or say anything about guilt or the evidence.
No comments yet. Be the first to have your say.