'Dangerous' Cwmbran sex offender locked woman in Travelodge hotel in 20-minute ordeal

A "dangerous" teenager threatened multiple women with a knife and demanded they had sex with him.

Joshua Lovering, from Cwmbran, was 19 years old when he targeted an 18-year-old in a park, entered a woman's home and tried forcing himself onto her, and locked another in a hotel room while brandishing a knife. Cardiff Crown Court heard that Lovering made arrangements to spend the night with one woman at the Gateway Hotel in Newport after meeting her in a park in Pontypool.

He told her she was going to "have sex" with him even "if she wanted it or not."

Prosecutor Ruth Smith said:"Lovering became rough and physical and he pushed the victim onto the bed.

"When the victim told him to stop, Lovering became annoyed and he then put a pillow over her face."

Threatening the victim by holding a knife onto her chin, Lovering warned her and said: "We're going to have sex if you want it or not."

The victim managed to run to a nearby petrol station and the police were called.

Lovering was later arrested and told the police he had a knife because he was "fascinated with sharp things". In her personal statement this victim said: "The incident has hurt me and betrayed me. He did an awful thing to me. How can I trust people the same way I did before the incident?"Lovering had attempted such attacks several times. He had previously entered a woman's home without permission and pushed her onto her sofa and tried forcing himself onto her.It was only when the victim managed to pick up a glass jar and threatened Lovering with it that he left.

His third attack was at the Travelodge hotel in Cardiff city centre. The court heard he locked an "extremely vulnerable" woman in a hotel room and demanded she had sex with him.

He snatched her phone and threatened her with a knife in a 20-minute ordeal which left her shaking with fear.The victim said: "He's a dangerous person and a danger to women. I have never been so scared of anybody in my life as Joshua."

Lovering had previous convictions including sexual assault and possession of a knife in a public place.

He pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, affray, sexual assault, and threatening a person with a knife in a private place.

His latest offences put him in breach of a suspended sentence order.Lovering was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and had low social skills. Taking into account the attacker's disorder, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said she was satisfied he was a dangerous offender and posed a risk of serious harm.

The judge imposed an extended sentence of 12 years in custody and an extended licence period of four years and also issued restraining orders to protect the three victims and a 16-year sexual harm prevention order.

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