**Man Jailed for Grooming and Sexual Abuse of Schoolgirl in Morriston Garage**
A man from Morriston has been sentenced to over four years in prison for grooming and sexually abusing a school-aged girl in the garage where he was employed. The offences, which occurred between 2012 and 2013, came to light only after the victim reported the abuse years later, having struggled with the psychological impact throughout her teenage years and early adulthood.
James Thomas, now aged 37 and of Tawe Street, faced Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. During proceedings, the court was told by prosecutors that Thomas, then in his mid-20s, initiated contact with the girl by text before escalating to sexual abuse. The majority of the offending took place at the Morriston garage where Thomas worked, taking advantage of circumstances when the business was unattended.
One particularly troubling incident described in court involved the victim spending the night at the garage, having lied to her mother about staying with friends. The following morning, she left early and, unable to return home, waited alone for hours in a local McDonald’s until it was an appropriate time to go back.
The victim eventually reported the abuse to the police in 2023, some years after first confiding in an online self-described paedophile hunting group. It was this group’s advice which prompted her to tell her mother and seek justice. In her statement read in court, she revealed how the ordeal had deeply scarred her, leaving her with enduring feelings of loneliness and diminished self-worth. She described Thomas as having “robbed her of her innocence”.
Throughout her recovery, the survivor admitted turning to cannabis and legal highs in a bid to numb the pain caused by the trauma. She candidly acknowledged in her impact statement the behavioural issues that followed, reflecting: “I can understand why I became a naughty child.” She added that her journey toward healing remains a daily struggle, requiring constant determination to rebuild her sense of self-worth and peace of mind.
The court heard that psychological assessments concluded Thomas had intellectual and emotional development below that expected for his age. Both probation and psychological reports were submitted, highlighting Thomas’s immaturity and intellectual disabilities. His defence argued that although he now understood the wrongdoing of his actions, his impaired functioning heightened the risk of inappropriate relationships with vulnerable children.
Presiding over sentencing, Judge Catherine Richards recognised Thomas’s diminished mental capacity. However, she was clear that this did not excuse his actions, stating: “You knew what you were doing was wrong.” The judge noted that, while intellectual deficits reduced Thomas’s culpability to a degree, they could not negate the gravity of his offences.
Taking into account his guilty pleas, Thomas was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. He will serve up to half of this sentence in custody before becoming eligible for release on licence for the remainder. Furthermore, Thomas was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.
Cases such as this highlight both the far-reaching consequences of childhood sexual abuse and the complexities around justice for victims, particularly where those who offend may themselves present with learning or developmental disabilities. The proceedings demonstrated a continued commitment from the courts to consider all facets of such challenging cases while upholding the rights of victims.
Anyone affected by issues of sexual abuse can seek support from specialist organisations. Services such as Lifecentre, NAPAC, One in Four, Safeline, The Survivors Trust, and Rape Crisis England & Wales offer confidential advice, helplines, and counselling for survivors and their families, helping them take steps towards healing and recovery.