JOSHUA LOVERING AND SHOCKING CRIMES IN GWENT AND CARDIFF

A series of disturbing and violent attacks carried out by Joshua Lovering have shocked the communities in Gwent and Cardiff. The 20-year-old offender from Cwmbran was found guilty of multiple serious crimes involving women, including sexual assault, threats with a knife, and physical violence.

The first incident took place in Pontypool park, where Lovering, then 19, targeted an 18-year-old woman after she had consumed approximately five to six pints of cider. Following the assault, Lovering arranged to spend the night with her at the Gateway Hotel in Newport. During the encounter, he made inappropriate comments, asking if he should buy condoms, to which the victim responded negatively. However, Lovering’s behavior quickly escalated. He became aggressive and physically forceful, pushing her onto the bed and attempting to remove her top. When she told him to stop, he responded with irritation, covering her mouth and placing a pillow over her face in an effort to silence her.

The victim managed to scream for help and fled the room, but Lovering was not finished. He followed her, again attempting to remove her bra by snapping it, and blocked her path when she tried to leave. At this point, Lovering produced a knife, holding it to her chin and warning her that if she continued to scream, he would use it. His threatening words were, “If you don’t [stop] f****** screaming I am going to use it. We’re going to have sex if you want it or not.” The victim, desperate to escape, asked to go outside for a cigarette. Lovering allowed her to leave but continued to text her repeatedly. She eventually ran to a nearby petrol station, where she called the police. Lovering was promptly arrested, during which he claimed he carried a knife because he was “fascinated with sharp things.”

In her personal statement, the victim expressed the profound impact of the assault, stating, “The incident has hurt me and betrayed me. He did an awful thing to me. How can I trust people the same way I did before the incident?”

Lovering’s violent streak did not end there. In a separate incident, he unlawfully entered a woman’s home without permission. Once inside, he pushed her onto her sofa and attempted to remove her leggings. The woman fought back by biting him, scratching his face, and kicking him. Despite her resistance, Lovering managed to penetrate her with his thumb through her leggings. The victim used her phone’s Siri app to call for help during the struggle. Lovering ripped the phone from her hand and continued to try to remove her clothes, causing her to fall and sustain bruises. Her bravery ultimately paid off when she grabbed a glass jar and threatened him, prompting him to leave.

A third woman fell victim to Lovering at a Travelodge hotel in Cardiff city centre. He forcibly locked her in a hotel room and demanded she have sex with him. During this 20-minute ordeal, he used his strength to seize her phone and threatened her with a knife. The victim, described as “extremely vulnerable,” was left crying and shaking with fear. In her statement, she recounted her terror, saying, “Since this incident happened I have been panicky and stressed. When he held a knife up to me and locked me in the room I honestly thought he was going to put the knife through me and seriously hurt me, I was scared for my life.” She also described how Lovering, who was much larger and stronger, stood in front of the hotel room door for what felt like an eternity, making her too afraid to call for help.

The victim revealed that she has been suffering nightmares and, on one occasion, punched a wall in her sleep while dreaming of fighting off the defendant. She concluded by stating, “He’s a dangerous person and a danger to women. I have never been so scared of anybody in my life as Joshua.”

Lovering, now 20, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including assault by penetration, affray, sexual assault, and threatening a person with a knife in a private place. He is currently detained at HMP Parc in Bridgend. His criminal record includes previous convictions for sexual assault and possession of a knife in a public place. His recent actions also breached a suspended sentence order.

During the sentencing hearing, defence barrister Jefffey Jones highlighted that Lovering has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and has low social skills. He acknowledged the seriousness of the offences but emphasized that his client shows remorse and is considered a vulnerable individual.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke took these factors into account but ultimately determined that Lovering is a dangerous offender who poses a significant risk of serious harm to others. She sentenced him to an extended term of 12 years in custody, with a further four years on extended licence. He is required to serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence before being eligible for parole. Additionally, the court imposed restraining orders to protect the three victims and a 16-year sexual harm prevention order to prevent further offences.