Sion Griffiths

Sion Griffiths, a 36-year-old man from Gwynedd, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court on 5 May 2026 after being convicted of rape. The offence occurred in Llanrwst, Conwy county, in August 2021, when the victim was initially asleep.

The court heard that the woman awoke to find Griffiths raping her. She attempted to push him away and he fled the scene immediately. In a statement read aloud in court, the survivor described the lasting psychological harm she had suffered, saying she experienced panic attacks and felt “scared and uncomfortable around men”. She added: “My life is now happy and successful, but this is due to my resilience and positive outlook, and doing things in spite of what happened. The worst thing for me has been the feeling of responsibility and guilt. It’s taken a lot of counselling and conversations with friends and family to accept I’m not the one who should carry the burden of guilt and responsibility.”

Duncan Bould, representing Griffiths, highlighted his lack of previous convictions and the fact that he had “shown no criminal traits” in the nearly five years since the offence. He described Griffiths as a “positive influence on those around him” and a “caring member of his family and the community”, with strong support networks. Mr Bould added: “This is a person who, in all probability, will never darken the door of the court again.”

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts told Griffiths: “What you did that night has had a severe impact on her life. But I’m pleased to hear this morning that she now regards her life as happy and successful because of her resilience, rather than any thanks to you. None of this was her fault. The only person who is guilty in any of this is you.” The judge noted that the survivor was “horrified” and “particularly vulnerable” at the time of the rape.

Griffiths must serve two-thirds of his seven-year sentence in custody before being released on licence. He was issued with a lifelong restraining order for the protection of the survivor and will be required to adhere to sex offenders register notification requirements for life.