Caerphilly paedophile jailed for sexually assaulting girl then putting number in her phone

A convicted paedophile sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl he approached in public before grabbing her mobile phone and entering his number.

Jonathan Swift, 34, approached the victim in Caerphilly on 9 April, initially asking her for a lighter.

Despite being told she was 16, he then followed her before pulling her onto a park bench and sexually assaulting her.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the defendant also exposed himself for two or three minutes until a member of the public walked past.

The victim eventually managed to escape and raised the alarm by messaging a friend.

Swift, of Snowden Court, was arrested the following day and interviewed, claiming he was drunk and sexual contact was consensual.

He later pleaded guilty to assault by penetration and sexual assault.

The court heard Swift had previously been convicted of sexual assault in 2010. He later breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by approaching a 13-year-old and was also imprisoned for sexual activity with a child under 16 in 2017. He was on licence when he assaulted the teenager in April.

In a statement read to the court, the 16-year-old victim said the incident has "completely ruined my independence and confidence" and she lives in "constant fear it could happen again at any time."

She added: "I have lost all trust with anyone I do not know. I used to be able to go out with friends without thinking of being attacked by a stranger. I constantly need to keep myself busy to take my mind off what happened that day. "Sometimes in school I lose focus on my work as my memory takes me back to that horrible incident. The trauma even affects my sleep, before bed when I am trying to drift off I get flashbacks from the incident and it's like I'm reliving it.

"I constantly look over my shoulder when I am out and I am worried I will be attacked again. No teenager should go through what I have gone through. I am happy the man who did this to me is in prison, I think that's where he should stay. He's a dangerous man and I do not want him to do this to others."

Defending Swift, David Rees said his client was "deeply remorseful" and had been drinking.

He also said the defendant had been "outed" in November last year as a convicted sex offender and had experienced "repercussions, abuse and threats" as a result.

However, sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "You don't have any understanding of the impact of your offending. You said you are not attracted to young females despite your offending history. You have sought to minimise and justify your behaviour on this occasion in exactly the same way you have before... "You are a sexual predator and you pose a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public, specifically young girls and young women... You are a dangerous offender."

Swift was sentenced to eight years in prison, with an extended licence period of six years.

He will serve two thirds in custody before being considered for parole.

The defendant was also given a restraining order for 30 years and remains subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for life.

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