A 51-year-old man has been jailed for 15 years for raping a teenage girl and threatening to harm her family if she disclosed the abuse. Stephen Thomas, of Council Street, Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil, was convicted at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court of rape and 10 counts of assault by penetration.
Details of the Abuse
The court heard that Thomas sexually abused his victim by touching her private parts and later assaulting her by penetration. The abuse culminated in rape, which caused the victim to suffer depression and make attempts on her own life through overdoses. She was subsequently hospitalised and confided in her family about the abuse, leading to police involvement.
Thomas denied the allegations, claiming the victim had invented them, but was found guilty after trial. He had no relevant previous convictions.
Victim Impact Statement
In a victim personal statement read to the court, the victim described feeling "sick and disgusted" by the abuse. She said: "When I think back to it and the trauma it has left behind, it's a daily reminder of what I went through. It affected me every single day. I should be able to think of nice memories of my childhood but those memories have been violated by what he did to me."
She added that the abuse stripped her of confidence, made her feel trapped, and led to long-term mental health struggles, including two intentional overdoses requiring critical care. Since Thomas was found guilty, she has felt relieved and hopes to live a normal life without fear.
Mitigation and Sentencing
In mitigation, defence barrister Clare Wilks said Thomas had previously been a hardworking man employed by Stagecoach, but his mental health deteriorated after his son died of a drug overdose in 2021.
Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins described the abuse as "orchestrated" with a "profound effect" on the victim. Thomas was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with an additional year on licence. He was also made subject to a lifelong restraining order and Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
