ALAN OWENS JAILED FOR DECADES OF ABUSE IN BRIDGEND

In a case that has spanned many years and caused severe trauma, Alan Owens, a resident of Bridgend, has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of multiple sexual offenses committed against a young girl during the 1990s. Despite the guilty verdict, Owens maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

The criminal acts took place in Bridgend during the 1990s, when the victim was still in primary school. Over a period of roughly four years, Owens subjected the girl to repeated sexual assaults, acts that not only inflicted immediate emotional and physical harm but also left lasting scars. These assaults included attempts at rape, which the court heard Owens tried to carry out but was unsuccessful in completing. The court heard how Owens employed intimidation tactics to silence the girl, warning her against telling anyone what was happening and ensuring her fear prevented her from revealing the abuse for many years.

It was only when the victim reached adulthood and became a mother herself that she finally felt capable of coming forward and reporting the abuse. The restraint and fear that Owens instilled in her had delayed her justice, allowing her suffering to continue in silence for years. Her brave decision to speak out was met with support from a jury, composed of 12 strangers who believed her account despite Owens’ protestations of innocence.

During the sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, a powerful impact statement was read aloud on behalf of the victim by prosecution lawyer Julia Cox. She expressed the profound emotional toll the abuse had taken on her, recounting her years of questioning herself with the anguished query, “why me?” and reflecting on how Owens's actions had robbed her of her childhood innocence. The victim detailed her ongoing struggles with mental health, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and night terrors, which continue to require medication and therapy to manage.

In her statement, she also conveyed her profound relief and gratitude, emphasizing that she was thankful to the jury for believing her story and delivering justice after so many years of suffering. Speaking directly to Owens, she affirmed her newfound strength and courage: “The best thing I have ever given myself is the courage to speak up.”

Alan Roy Owens, aged 52 and residing on Maple Avenue in Bridgend’s Brackla neighborhood, faced his sentencing after being convicted of these heinous crimes. The court records revealed that Owens had previously been convicted on seven counts of indecent assault of a child and one count of attempted rape of a child. Additionally, he has two prior convictions unrelated to these offenses, including an incident involving public order offenses and another for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The judge sentenced Owens to an appropriate term of imprisonment, marking a moment of justice for the victim and a significant step in addressing past abuses. The proceedings shed light on the importance of breaking the silence surrounding childhood sexual abuse and the resilience of those who finally find the courage to speak out in pursuit of justice.