RAYMOND MARASCO'S CRIMES IN CARDIFF AND MERTHYR TYDFIL: SHOCKING SEX OFFENSES AND 17-YEAR SENTENCE
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil, Raymond Marasco, a 53-year-old man, was convicted of heinous sexual offenses involving young girls and was subsequently sentenced to a lengthy prison term.The details of his crimes reveal a disturbing pattern of grooming, manipulation, and abuse that spanned several years, leaving lasting scars on his victims.
Marasco’s criminal activities came to light after a series of investigations that uncovered his predatory behavior.
The most egregious incident involved an 11-year-old girl whom he lured with alcohol, specifically WKD Blue, a popular alcopop.
According to court records, Marasco provided the young girl with the drink, which he claimed was “blue pop,” in an attempt to make her drowsy and more compliant.
He then proceeded to sexually assault her, encouraging her to perform sex acts by promising gifts, including Pokémon games.
His tactics were calculated, aiming to weaken her resistance through intoxication and manipulation.
During the trial, it was revealed that Marasco’s modus operandi involved making his young victims drowsy with alcohol before molesting them.
Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing, presiding over the case at London’s Appeal Court, confirmed that there was “nothing wrong” with the original sentence of 17 years handed down at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court last March.
The court refused to reduce his sentence by even a single day, emphasizing the severity of his crimes.
In addition to the assault on the 11-year-old girl, Marasco was also convicted of abusing a second victim, a 14-year-old girl, on a bus.
He sat next to her, struck up a conversation, and then inappropriately touched her under her skirt.
When arrested, Marasco denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the allegations were fabricated.
However, the evidence against him was overwhelming, leading to convictions on three counts of rape, three counts of indecency with a child, and six counts of indecent assault.
It was noted that prior to these offenses, Marasco had a criminal record that included convictions for causing criminal damage, inflicting actual bodily harm, and failing to surrender to police.
Notably, he had no previous convictions related to sexual offenses.
A pre-sentence report indicated that Marasco continued to deny all allegations and blamed his victims for his convictions, a stance that further highlighted his lack of remorse.
During the appeal, Marasco’s legal counsel, Alexander Greenwood, argued that his overall sentence was “manifestly excessive.” However, the panel of judges, including Mrs Justice Laing, Lord Justice Treacy, and Mr Justice King, upheld the original sentence, stating that it was justified given the nature of his conduct.
The court also amended a sexual offences prevention order to restrict Marasco from having unsupervised contact with underage girls after his release, although he was permitted to have contact with underage boys.
These convictions and sentencing follow a series of disturbing revelations about Marasco’s behavior.
In March 2014, he was sentenced to 17 years for a “humiliating campaign” of sexual abuse against two young girls in Cardiff.
One of the victims attempted suicide, and the other was so traumatized that she needed her husband’s encouragement to wear a dress at her wedding after he had assaulted her on a bus by putting his hand up her skirt.
The court heard that Marasco’s abuse spanned over five years, involving grooming, manipulation, and repeated acts of sexual violence.
Prosecutor Ieuan Morris described how Marasco would run his hands up a young girl’s leg and inside her underwear while babysitting her, gradually escalating to more serious abuse.
He also used alcohol, disguised as “blue pop,” to incapacitate her, allowing him to carry her into a bedroom for sexual acts, including rape.
The court heard that she endured significant pain and kept her suffering hidden, which led to her attempting to take her own life.
She now struggles with nightmares, flashbacks, and difficulty trusting others, affecting her personal relationships.
The second victim, a young girl on a bus, was assaulted when Marasco sat next to her and inappropriately touched her.
Her trauma was so severe that she has avoided wearing skirts ever since, and her husband had to persuade her to wear a wedding dress.
Marasco’s defense argued that he was an intelligent man who had worked all his life, but his actions have cost him his savings and his home.
He is now required to sign the sex offender register for life, is barred from working with children, and is subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to society.
