PAUL KENNY FROM BIRCHGROVE, SWANSEA, SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS FOR RAPE OF TEENAGER

In a case that has shocked the community of Birchgrove and the wider Swansea area, Paul Kenny, aged 68, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 12 years after being found guilty of raping a teenage girl during the 1970s. The disturbing incident has left a lasting scar on the victim, who was a minor at the time, and has brought to light the long-standing trauma she endured.

The court heard that Kenny, who resides on Trewen Road in Birchgrove, committed the assault several decades ago. The victim, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons, recounted the ordeal, revealing that Kenny’s actions not only caused her immediate physical and emotional pain but also resulted in her becoming pregnant. She described the pain she experienced as being comparable to the agony she felt during childbirth as an adult.

Prosecutor Kevin Jones detailed the assault, including an incident where Kenny struck his victim across the bridge of her nose with an umbrella, an act that added to her suffering. The woman reported the abuse to police in April of this year, more than 40 years after the events took place. She explained that she had confided in neighbors and friends about her ordeal, but her disclosures were met with disbelief or dismissiveness; one person even called her “silly.”

Further into her story, she revealed that she discovered she was 19 weeks pregnant and subsequently went with her mother to seek a termination. She was admitted to hospital and underwent induced labor. However, she expressed that the lack of compassion from the medical staff prevented her from revealing the identity of the father, which added to her emotional distress. In a statement to police, she described her first childbirth as a moment that should have been joyful but instead triggered painful memories of her termination.

When Kenny was arrested in April this year, he admitted to both the rape and indecent assault on his victim. During police interviews, he acknowledged the truth of her allegations, stating, “Everything she said is true.”

The victim explained that initially she found Kenny’s behavior “strange,” but she believed that as an adult, he knew what he was doing. She also admitted that she did not report the abuse earlier because she was terrified of Kenny, who had instilled a deep sense of fear in her. Her victim impact statement, read aloud in court, conveyed the profound and lasting effects of the abuse, emphasizing that her childhood had been stolen from her and that her adult life had been significantly affected. She described living in constant fear of Kenny and feeling threatened by his past threats against her.

Defense attorney Craig Jones urged the court to consider Kenny’s age and his guilty plea, suggesting that these factors should influence the sentencing. He pointed out that given the severity of the crimes, Kenny might spend the rest of his life in prison, which he acknowledged was a possibility.

Judge Peter Heywood sentenced Kenny to a total of 12 years in prison. The judge also ordered that Kenny must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. While he considered imposing a life sentence, the judge ultimately decided on a determinate term, citing Kenny’s age, his guilty plea, and his candor during police interviews as reasons for the sentence. The court’s decision underscores the gravity of the crimes committed and the lasting impact on the victim, who has endured decades of suffering from the trauma inflicted by Kenny’s actions.