DAVID GREENSLADE FROM BARGOED AND BUILTH WELLS SENTENCED FOR ABUSING YOUNG GIRLS IN SOUTHEND

In a harrowing case that has shocked communities across multiple locations, David Greenslade, a 64-year-old man with ties to Bargoed, Builth Wells, and Southend, was sentenced to over 11 years in prison for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against two young girls. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of manipulation, betrayal, and abuse that spanned nearly a decade, leaving lasting scars on the victims and their families.

According to the evidence presented at Merthyr Crown Court, Greenslade had ingratiated himself into the lives of two separate families, one in Southend and the other in Bargoed, exploiting their trust to carry out his predatory acts. Prosecutor Craig Jones detailed how Greenslade had managed to deceive both families, gaining their confidence and access to their children under the guise of friendship and kindness. His actions towards the victims were described as both calculated and deeply damaging.

The first victim, now aged 15, recounted how Greenslade, who had initially befriended her family in Southend during the 1990s, would seek her out within her own home to touch her inappropriately. The court heard that Greenslade would stay as a visitor, pretending to be a caring individual, even spending Christmas with the family in 2009. However, beneath this facade, he was engaging in sexual misconduct. The young girl revealed that Greenslade had subjected her to a serious sexual assault when she was just nine years old, sneaking into her room one night. Her trauma was compounded when, at age 14, she attempted to take her own life in June of the previous year, during which she disclosed the abuse she endured between the ages of six and nine.

Her brave decision to speak out prompted police investigations that uncovered a second victim in Bargoed. This girl, who was between nine and 11 years old at the time, had also been manipulated by Greenslade, who became a trusted visitor to her family. He engaged in activities such as arts and crafts with her and her siblings, and even took them on outings, further cementing his position of trust. The victim described Greenslade as sometimes kind and sometimes not, but ultimately revealed that he had used affectionate words like calling her a “pretty princess” before abusing her sexually. The court found that Greenslade’s conduct towards her was persistent and abusive, culminating in rape. She expressed relief at finally disclosing her experiences, feeling that it marked the end of her suffering.

Greenslade’s arrest was met with a chilling admission: “I’ve been expecting this,” he told police. His defense attorney, Tom Crowther, acknowledged Greenslade’s own admission of being a paedophile, citing his troubled childhood as a contributing factor. Crowther argued that Greenslade recognized his impulses as abnormal and suggested that his warped thinking might be rehabilitated, urging the court to consider alternatives to a life sentence. Despite this, Greenslade pleaded guilty to 12 counts related to the abuse of the two girls, including sexual assault of a child under 13, assault by penetration, and rape, covering offenses from May 2004 to May 2012.

Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones, presiding over the case, condemned Greenslade’s actions, describing him as a “sexual predator and paedophile.” Addressing Greenslade’s manipulation of trust, the judge emphasized that the families involved bore no responsibility for his actions, stating, “It is not their fault that you are such a foul, horrible man.” Greenslade, of Broad Street, Builth Wells, was sentenced to an extended term of 16 and a half years, with a custodial period of 11 and a half years. He will be required to register as a sex offender for life, be prohibited from working with children or vulnerable young adults, and will be subject to a lifelong sexual offences prevention order that restricts his contact with females under 16. The case underscores the devastating impact of grooming and abuse, highlighting the importance of vigilance and trust in protecting vulnerable children from predators like Greenslade.