Sam Jones

Sam Jones, a 32-year-old man from Yeovil, Somerset, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for committing multiple sexual offences against a teenager. The offences occurred in 2022 when Jones took the victim, who was over 16 at the time, to a hotel for a night away. During this encounter, he sexually assaulted her and raped her on three separate occasions.

The case proceeded to trial at Bristol Crown Court in September, where Jones was unanimously found guilty on all charges. On 31 October, he appeared for sentencing and received concurrent terms for three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration. In addition to the custodial sentence, Jones was issued an indefinite restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim. At the time of the offences, Jones resided at Preston Road in Yeovil, but he now lives at Church Hill in Piddlehinton, Dorset.

The victim provided a powerful impact statement during the proceedings, detailing the profound and lasting effects of Jones's actions. She stated: "Sam has stripped me from being able to have a private relationship. I now have difficulty maintaining all relationships. I can’t trust anyone, and I can’t get that feeling out of me. My life has been on hold for more than three years, and I now want it back. I haven’t moved forward for myself, but only to help protect other women, especially those who have had contact with Sam. Trying to talk about my trauma is hard and this will forever have an impact on me and cause me issues, but I’m determined to move on with my life."

Detective Constable Ella Griffiths, involved in the investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, commended the victim's bravery. She remarked: "We would like to thank the victim in this case who has shown incredible courage and strength in coming forward to report Jones. Without her bravery in speaking out and supporting this thorough investigation, convictions like this would not be possible and justice has resulted in a custodial sentence. Jones’ actions have had profound impact on the victim, and violence towards women and girls is not tolerated." The police maintained contact with the victim throughout the investigation, ensuring access to support services and implementing safeguarding measures.

This conviction underscores the commitment of Avon and Somerset Police to pursuing justice in sexual offence cases, with officers emphasising that any reports of such crimes will be taken seriously.