A rapist has been jailed years later for sexual abuse he committed when he was 11-years-old against a boy who was even younger and was left “confused about his sexuality and his body”.
Daniel Hancox, now 26, of Station Road, Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, faced trial and was convicted by a jury of two counts of raping a boy under 13, causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and three counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy under 13.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, courageously reported the crimes to police later in life, having suffered years of torment. At trial the court heard how Hancox manipulated and forcibly performed sexual acts upon his victim which had “devastating consequences for his emotional wellbeing”.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, January 28, heard the defendant showed the victim pornography to persuade the boy what he was doing was “normal”. He raped the victim on two occasions on a discarded mattress in a wooded area, where he had taken him with a view to abusing him.
Hancox also got the victim to touch his penis, performed oral sex upon him, and penetrated him with his finger. Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said: “The effect of what you did to (the victim) has been profound. Your actions had devastating consequences for his emotional wellbeing over the years.”
As an adult, the victim attended the wooded area and found the same mattress which he removed. He was later found by his parents and was described by his father, who said: “He was just rolling his head, he was past tears, he was gone.”
In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Laurence Jones, the victim said: “As a child, confusion was a big part of it for me. Growing up I was confused about my sexuality and body and questioned why it had happened and what was next for me… It didn’t hit me as I thought it was normalised behaviour, I didn’t feel like it was wrong as I was unaware of what was going on.
“When it was explained about sex education, it brought back memories and I realised I didn’t agree to this as a willing participant and felt like I had been put in a submissive role. I was made by his actions to feel isolated. I subconsciously became aware of my surroundings and people around me and being submissive.
“I would let people walk all over me and didn’t feel like I had self belief. I feel like it stumped my childhood. I had trust issues growing up and didn’t understand my emotions and disassociated myself from reality. I started to realise I had become confused about my sexuality, it put me on a path I shouldn’t have been on and took away my innocence…. Going into adulthood, I really started to struggle with mental health and felt disgust and self hatred. I listened to bad thoughts in my head and sabotaged anything nice… I self harmed by not looking after myself and punishing myself.”
He added: “I felt (Hancox) reprogrammed my brain to think that way. What he did confused me sexually and gave me a personality crisis… I don’t feel a sense of closure but glad the truth is out there. I’m glad in the eyes of the law he can’t make me out to be a liar.”
In mitigation, Stephen Thomas said his client was only 11 years old at the time of the offences and had not reoffended since. He said Hancox resided with his mother and he had “strong community and family ties”, reports Wales Online.
Hancox was sentenced to a two-year-community order and was ordered to carry out a 40 day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements for five years and a restraining order indefinitely.
