October 2015 Child abuser jailed for 18 years A MAN convicted of a string of sex offences against children and teenagers has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. Barry man Neil Bowen, 53, was found guilty of 14 sex offences against five girls under the age of 16 after a two week trial at Newport Crown Court last month. The court heard how Bowen, who was living at Fontygary Caravan Park at the time of his trial, had abused the girls over the course of many years through the late 1980s and 1990s. Sentencing Bowen at Merthyr Crown Court (Friday, October 9) judge Patrick Curran heard how the offences – including two rapes of a girl under the age of 16, the attempted rape of an 11-year-old and other indecent assaults on children – had taken a significant psychological toll on each of his five victims. One of his victims, a woman who tried to commit suicide after suffering years of rape and abuse at the hand of Bowen from the age of 11 to 16, told the court via a victim impact statement that her life has been ruined by what he did to her. She relayed how the abuse had “cast a shadow over her entire life” and how being dragged through court proceedings by Bowen – who denied any of the abuse ever took place – was a very difficult experience, something echoed by his other victims who all appeared in the witness box during the trial. Another victim described how her whole personality changed as a result of abuse she suffered as a young teenager. A third woman, who was coerced into committing a sex act on Bowen when she was 13, described how angry and ashamed she has been left by what happened to her. She said it felt like “the worst day of her life” when she had to appear in court to be cross examined. Sentencing Bowen, judge Curran said: “Your conduct undoubtedly caused severe psychological damage to your victims. “One has said that your conduct has ruined her life and in my view that is not an exaggeration. “There was a significant degree of planning, there was grooming behaviour. You specifically targeted young and vulnerable children.” Judge Curran sentenced Bowen to 18 years imprisonment, and addressed his victims in the public gallery, saying: “I would like to commend the courage and fortitude shown by the victims in having to relay their experiences in court.” September 2015 Jury finds Barry man guilty of sexually abusing children and teens A JURY has found a Barry man guilty of 14 sexual offences against children and teenagers, including the rape and attempted rape of young girls. Neil Bowen, 53, went on trial at Newport Crown Court accused of a string of sex offences against young girls dating back to the late 1980s. After nearly three days of deliberation the jury returned unanimous verdicts on: Two counts of indecency with a child And majority verdicts on 12 counts – including: Two rapes of a girl under the age of 16 Attempted rape of an 11-year-old Indecent assaults on children They were unable to reach a verdict on three further offences which were discharged. Judge Patrick Curran told Bowen, who was residing at Fontygary Caravan Park at the time of trial, that he can expect a lengthy term of imprisonment when he is sentenced next month. During the two week trial, jurors heard how Bowen had abused five young girls over the course of many years through the late 1980s and 1990s, forcing and coercing them into engaging in sexual activity with him. The abuse came to light earlier this year when one of his victims went to police following an attempt to commit suicide. During the subsequent police investigation four other victims came to light who all went on to describe being abused by Bowen as children and teenagers. Some of the women had suspicions that Bowen had abused other girls – with one telling police that he would boast about what he had done with others while trying to encourage her to have sex with him. The woman whose police interview sparked the investigation told police that she had been groomed by Bowen from a very young age, had been assaulted since she was in primary school and was later raped by him as a teenager. The court heard how another one of his victims – a woman who also attempted suicide in later life – remembered being abused so regularly it became “almost like a routine”, abuse that included an incident where he attempted to rape her. “He tried to force himself on me,” she said. “I remember it being very painful but I’ve blocked off so much of my childhood, it’s like I’m watching it happen to someone else.” His three other victims relayed similar recollections of indecent assaults by Bowen, who had maintained that the offences had simply never happened. Bowen will be sentenced next month.