DALE ALLEN FROM ABERTILLERY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN PONTYPOOL AND ABERTILLERY

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Abertillery and Pontypool, a man named Dale Allen has been convicted and sentenced for serious sexual offenses involving a young girl from Pontypool. The victim, a 21-year-old woman named Lisa, courageously came forward to share her harrowing experience of abuse inflicted by her uncle, Dale Allen, who is a resident of Brynithel, Abertillery.

Allen, aged 34, faced court proceedings at Newport Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty on August 28 to two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a female family member aged between 13 and 17. The court's judgment was delivered on September 16, resulting in a sentence of 16 months in prison, along with a subsequent ten-year registration on the sex offenders’ register. Despite the severity of the allegations and the impact on Lisa’s life, many in the community feel that the punishment does not adequately reflect the gravity of his crimes.

Lisa Allen, who has chosen to waive her right to anonymity, described the profound and lasting damage caused by her uncle’s actions. She revealed that before the abuse began, she had been a reserved girl, never having held hands or kissed a boy. Her first kiss, she said, was with her uncle, a fact she now finds deeply distressing. Her life took a drastic turn in August 2007, when she moved into her grandparents’ house in Abertillery after her mother, Tracy, 48, sent her and her brother away from the family home amidst the chaos following her father Norman Saunders’ arrest and conviction for raping her half-sister, Cayleigh.

Norman Saunders, who is also from Abertillery, was sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison in October 2007 after admitting to multiple counts of rape and child sex image offenses. His crimes had a devastating effect on the family, leading Tracy to seek safety for her children by relocating them to her parents’ residence in Abertillery. It was during this period that Dale Allen began grooming Lisa, exploiting her vulnerability. He introduced her to cannabis and bought her tickets to various concerts, gradually escalating his abuse from January 2007 onward. The sexual abuse continued almost daily until Lisa approached her 18th birthday.

Lisa recounted that her uncle did not treat her like a niece but rather like a romantic partner. She explained that he refused to acknowledge their familial relationship, instead treating her as a girlfriend. Every day, he would coerce her into performing acts of intimacy, even if it was just a kiss. She described how he manipulated her, making her feel as though she was under his control, and how he created a wedge between her and her brother. His influence even extended to her personal relationships, as he prevented her from seeing her partner, Chris Williams, whom she has been with for two and a half years.

It was only in April of this year that Lisa confided in Chris about the abuse. She expressed her fears that revealing the truth would cause him to leave or blame her. However, once she shared her story, she felt an immense relief, describing it as a heavy weight lifting from her shoulders. Following this, she confided in her mother, and both encouraged her to report the abuse to the police. Lisa did so on May 2, and her bravery was publicly acknowledged by Detective Constable Kay Gladwin of Gwent Police, who praised her for her courage in coming forward.

Lisa’s mother, Tracy, expressed her profound disappointment and anger towards her brother, Dale Allen. She stated, “I will never forgive my brother for what he has done. I sent her there thinking she would be safe. She was 15, she was vulnerable, and he took advantage of that.” Tracy also criticized the family’s failure to protect Lisa, noting that Allen had manipulated the entire family, just as he had with others, including her daughter Cayleigh. She lamented that her daughter had endured so much already—physical, sexual, and emotional abuse—and that her trust in her family had been shattered.

Lisa shared a chilling account of her confrontation with Allen, recalling a moment when she told him, “This is wrong – this is what my dad did to Cayleigh.” His reaction was explosive; he shouted at her, denying the allegations and insisting, “No it’s not. It’s nothing like that.” This response instilled fear in her, making her hesitant to speak out further.

Since the abuse was exposed, Lisa has been forced to leave her home in Abertillery and relocate to Pontypool, where she now lives away from her family. She admits to feeling abandoned by her relatives and only maintains contact with her partner and her mother. She expressed her disappointment with the justice system, feeling that the relatively short sentence of 16 months—effectively only eight months served—does not reflect the severity of her suffering. She said, “The police said they thought he would get four years. But he got 16 months – eight, really – and it looks as though there was nothing in it, like what he did to me doesn’t really matter. The justice system has really let me down.”

Gwent Police’s involvement in the case was marked by commendation for Lisa’s bravery. DC Kay Gladwin emphasized the importance of victims coming forward and assured the public that specially trained officers are available to provide support and assistance to those affected by crime, regardless of how long ago the incident occurred. The case has left a lasting impact on the community, highlighting the devastating effects of familial abuse and the importance of justice and support for victims.