PETER SWEETMORE OF CARDIFF SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE INVOLVING TEENAGE BOY

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Cardiff, retired company director Peter Sweetmore, aged 69, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for serious sexual offenses committed nearly three decades ago. The incident involved the abuse of a teenage boy, and the court proceedings revealed disturbing details about the nature and impact of the crimes.

Sweetmore, a well-known figure within the Church of God in Cardiff, was found guilty of four counts of indecent assault against the young victim, who was in his mid-teens at the time of the offenses. The assaults took place over a span of two years during the mid to late 1970s. The court heard that Sweetmore had established a relationship with the boy through church activities, which he exploited for his own illicit purposes.

According to the court, Sweetmore was a respected member of the church community in Cardiff, which made the abuse particularly insidious. The victim, who is also married, only felt able to come forward and report the abuse in the autumn of the previous year, after years of suffering in silence. The court was told that the victim, feeling overwhelmed by guilt and disgust, finally summoned the courage to tell Sweetmore that the inappropriate conduct must cease when he was 16 years old.

Prosecutor David Wooller described how Sweetmore’s behavior became increasingly intrusive, with the defendant leaning over the victim and engaging in physical misconduct. Wooller emphasized that at the time, the victim felt unable to report the abuse due to Sweetmore’s position of authority and respect within the church community. The emotional toll of the abuse was profound; the victim’s academic performance declined, and he later attempted to take his own life. It was only in Christmas 2000 that he disclosed the abuse to authorities, leading to Sweetmore’s arrest.

During the court hearing, defense lawyer Hilary Roberts acknowledged the gravity of the offenses, stating, “At the time of these offences, he was an active and leading member of the Church of God. It gave him a position of authority and a position of trust which he abused.” Roberts further explained that Sweetmore had been excommunicated from the church for six months when the allegations surfaced but was later welcomed back into the congregation. The lawyer added, “The process of healing and forgiveness was sought. He has been punished in a way the church thought was appropriate.”

Ultimately, the court sentenced Sweetmore to 18 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the lasting impact on the victim’s life. The case highlights the dangers of abuse of trust within religious communities and underscores the importance of speaking out against such misconduct, regardless of the passage of time.