Anthony Marcus Jones

A former taxi driver from Milford Haven has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a passenger in his cab. Anthony Marcus Jones, aged 45 and residing on the Mount Estate, was found guilty of the offence at Swansea Crown Court following a detailed investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police.

The incident occurred on or around 31 March 2018, when the victim, who had been out socialising in Milford Haven, became heavily intoxicated. Unable to provide her address to the initial taxi driver called to assist her from a pub, Jones, a colleague who knew her location, was summoned. He met the first taxi in a car park in Haverfordwest, transferred the unconscious passenger to his vehicle, and shortly thereafter raped her in the back seat. Jones then abandoned her outside her home in a state of undress.

The offence was reported to Dyfed-Powys Police on 4 April 2018 by a third party to whom the victim had confided. Although the victim had no recollection of the events due to her intoxication and the report was made four days later, precluding forensic evidence, officers meticulously pieced together the timeline. This included reviewing CCTV footage from multiple cameras inside and outside the pub, as well as interviewing friends of the victim to establish the sequence of events.

Further evidence emerged when Jones contacted the victim several days after the incident, falsely claiming they had engaged in consensual sex, which she vehemently denied. This prompted her to report the matter formally. A detective constable involved in the case highlighted the challenges: 'This investigation spanned nearly three years, during which time the victim showed strength and determination in getting justice. Despite there being no forensic evidence available... a team of officers worked diligently and tenaciously to compile sufficient evidence to prove the defendant’s guilt.'

At trial, a jury unanimously convicted Jones of rape. The detective constable described the crime as a despicable betrayal of trust, noting from CCTV that the victim was clearly intoxicated and vulnerable. Jones, entrusted with her safe passage home, instead exploited her condition for his own gratification, disregarding her wellbeing entirely. The sentencing judge imposed a 10-year custodial term, with Jones required to register as a sex offender for life.

The case underscores the importance of thorough police work in sexual offence investigations, even without physical evidence, and the courage required from victims to come forward. Dyfed-Powys Police's efforts ensured justice was served after nearly three years of investigation.