A man from Bangor, Gethin Jones, has been jailed for sexually assaulting and harassing a woman in the city, breaching a suspended sentence he was serving for a prior sexual offence. The incident occurred on 18 December 2023, when Jones, who was already under a suspended prison term for kissing a young girl on the lips, approached the victim near Garth Terrace.
According to prosecutor Michael Whitty at Caernarfon Crown Court, the woman had just exited her car when she observed Jones behaving erratically, lifting his top to expose his stomach. Jones then approached her unexpectedly, placing his arm around her shoulder and moving his hand down her forearm, an action described as 'as unexpected as it was unwelcome'. The woman, fearing for her safety, began recording the interaction on her phone, capturing nine minutes of Jones making a series of sexualised comments. Under the influence of drugs at the time, Jones followed her down Siliwen Road, using derogatory and threatening language, calling her a 'juicy little b****' and stating he wanted to 'tie her up upside down'.
The woman sought help from nearby members of the public for sanctuary, at which point Jones initially appeared undeterred but later apologised before fleeing the scene. She reported the assault to North Wales Police later that evening, providing a description of Jones and the audio recording as evidence. Jones was arrested at his home the following morning. Whitty noted that Jones' engagement with the probation service had been 'patchy', with multiple missed appointments prior to the offence.
Defending Jones, Elen Owen highlighted his chaotic lifestyle, marked by homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues. Jones, a recovering alcoholic with 21 previous convictions for 48 offences, had lost his accommodation following his September 2024 suspended sentence and was temporarily housed in a pub in Bangor, leading to a relapse. Owen stated that, now sober, Jones 'fully appreciates how very traumatic this must have been for her'.
Sentencing on 10 January 2025, Judge Timothy Petts, who had imposed the original suspended sentence, described Jones' behaviour as 'predatory and disgraceful', subjecting the woman to 'degradation and humiliation'. The judge remarked, 'I gave you a chance earlier in the year, but you have wasted it.' Jones was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration. The case was reported by the North Wales Chronicle, with details from court proceedings at Caernarfon Crown Court.