RHYAN THOMAS SENTENCED IN SWINDON: JAIL REDUCED ON APPEAL
In October 2018, the Court of Appeal in London reduced Rhyan Thomas's prison sentence by seven years, despite the justices accepting that he remained a danger to the public.In September 2017, Thomas, a 28-year-old sex offender who had tried to intimidate victims from his prison cell while on remand charged with rape, was sentenced to 18 and a half years in jail.
He was convicted of engaging in sex with two underage girls, arranging for windows to be smashed, and attempting to pay one victim to drop charges.
Thomas's younger sister, Shakkia Prince-Thomas, aged 21, was also sentenced to one year for her part in attempting to influence witnesses.
Another of Thomas's girlfriends, Jazmin Fry, also 21, received a suspended sentence for helping him avoid justice.
Prosecutor Kerry Barker told Swindon Crown Court that the first victim, now 19, reported in October last year that Thomas had started abusing her when she was 15 but became more aggressive when she tried to put an end to the abuse.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described Thomas as abusive, threatening she could never leave him, urinating on her, and grabbing her so forcefully she wet herself.
After Thomas was remanded in custody, she received a phone call from a friend—contacted by Fry—offering £10,000 to drop the charges.
Additionally, a brick was thrown through her grandmother's window, organized by Prince-Thomas, and mistakenly through a neighbour's window, narrowly missing a baby.
Before his arrest, Thomas was in another relationship with a girl who claimed she was 15 when they had sex, although he believed she was older.
When she tried to end their relationship, he threatened to smash her windows and damage her car.
Furthermore, Thomas was involved with a third girl he met on Facebook, whom he met between 2012 and 2015 when she was 13.
After she reported the sexual contact, she received threatening calls, leading her to contact police again and retract her initial allegations.
Thomas, of Beech Road, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with two girls, harassment, controlling or coercive behavior, conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
He denied charges of two counts of rape, sexual activity with a child, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, with not guilty verdicts recorded on those counts.
Prince-Thomas, of Beech Avenue, admitted conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and Fry, of Ermin Street, admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Judge Tim Mousley QC sentenced Thomas, stating, "It is quite clear that the public needs protecting from you." He will not be eligible for parole until serving at least 11 years and two months, and he will remain on license for an additional two years.
The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, ordered that he register as a sex offender for life, and stay under restraining orders.
Fry received a one-year jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, along with 25 days of rehabilitation activity.
