January 2019 convicted child rapist back behind bars A convicted child rapist who asked young girls to have sex with him not long after being released from prison is back behind bars after being sentenced to nearly 15 years. James Jones, also known as James Borrelli, served 13 years for the horrific rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl in a public toilet after gagging her. The defendant, of Victoria Road, Fleur-de-Lys, near Blackwood, was 20 when he attacked his young victim in Risca in 2003. Prosecutor Clare Wilks told Cardiff Crown Court he was released from custody in November 2017 for that crime before committing his latest offences at the end of last year. Jones, aged 35, formerly of Cwmbran, pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity, inciting a girl of 13 to engage in sexual activity and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Miss Wilks said the defendant had first approached two girls aged 11 and 13 in the Blackwood area on November 18, 2018. She told the court Jones had asked them: “Do you want to have sex with me for a couple of hours?” Later that day, Miss Wilks added, he approached a separate group of girls, also in the Blackwood area, and said to a 12-year-old: “I fancy you. I have a crush on you and want to make love to you. I want to take you back to my bedroom.” Police were called and officers entered his home that night using a drill on the lock after he refused to open the door. Jones was taken to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital after it was discovered he had taken a suspected overdose. Miss Wilks read victim impact statements to the court in which the mother of one of his victims said “this has had a massive impact on our family”. Hashim Salmman, representing the defendant, said the best mitigation he could put forward for his client was that he had pleaded guilty to his offences at the very first opportunity. He added that Jones had not used threats or violence in the commission of his latest offending. Mr Salmman said: “He hasn’t seen his family since his last conviction and he misses them greatly.” The court heard Jones suffered from depression and had self-harmed. Judge Neil Bidder QC told the defendant: “In April 2004, you were convicted of a very serious offences when you approached a 12-year-old schoolgirl who was not known to you. “You followed her from a bus into a public toilet and raped her after you silenced her by putting tape over her mouth.” He added: “You have continued to show an unhealthy interest in young girls.” Jones had faced a potential life sentence but the judge decided that the defendant, who was classed as a dangerous offender, be subject of on extended custodial term for the protection of the public. Judge Bidder told him: “You pose a significant risk to members of the public, particularly young teenage girls.” Jones was jailed for 14 years and eight months and told he would have to register as a sex offender for life. July 2018: Now living in St Dials, Cwmbran May 2004 Girl, 12, raped three times The rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl in public toilets in Risca was “the most horrendous sexual assault – one of the worst in Gwent”, said the police officer who led the investigation. After the hearing, Detective Superintendent Ray Wise said: “The girl called into the public toilet on the way home from school, where she was put in fear of her life, gagged and raped. “James Borrelli (the rapist) told police he actually went out of his house armed with tape with the intention of attacking a vulnerable victim. “We dealt with this as a possible serial rape and looked for links with other areas.” He praised an investigation team of more than 40 officers who worked tirelessly to make arrests just seven days after the offence occurred. He said: “There was pressure on the investigation as we believed there was a distinct possibility that there would be re-offending in the near future. “I have never felt such emotion in an incident room as when we got these two.” Det Supt Wise said national policing resources were called upon, including a behavioural profiler, the Forensic Science Service and the National Crime Faculty. He said the number of people responding to the appeals in the Argus was superb. Newport crown court was told James Borrelli, 21, admitted raping the girl on her way home from school after he had a row with his gay lover, Michael Walsh, 51, both of Tredegar Street, Risca, on December 11. Jennet Treharne, prosecuting, told Newport crown court yesterday that Borrelli had gone to Tredegar Park, Risca, to “cool down” and saw the girl, who was on her way home from school, entering the public toilets. The girl came out of a cubicle to find Borrelli standing nearby and she became frightened. He grabbed her and put some white tape over her mouth which came off when she screamed. Borrelli then pulled her back into a cubicle where he sexually assaulted and raped her. Shortly afterwards he raped her twice outside the cubicle before she made her escape. She said: “The girl was extremely upset and was crying and he could see that. She was asking him to stop and he told her to shut up or he would kill her.” Ms Treharne said the girl had not received counselling but would be offered that service. The girl had been outgoing, but now found it hard to socialise and sleep at night, Ms Treharne said. The court had heard that forensic officers established a DNA profile from items left at the scene and matched it with Borrelli. Borrelli is due to be sentenced for rape on a date yet to be set alongside co-defendant Walsh, who pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. Borrelli admitted rape of a female under 16. Walsh admitted perverting the course of justice. He had given Borrelli a false alibi and told officers he did not know anyone fitting his description.