Rapist gets six years (From Campaign Series)

Rapist gets six years

4:50pm Monday 14th December 2009

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A RAPIST found guilty of carrying out two brutal attacks on the same woman was sentenced to six years in prison.

A jury at Cardiff crown court found Adam Powell, 28, of Sycamore Crescent, Ty Sign, Risca, guilty of two rape charges. He was cleared of five other charges of rape.

In sentencing, Mr Justice Davis, described Powell as having a “violent streak”. He said: “I think it is much more pronounced than you believe. You haven’t been charged with violence, but it is significant because it puts you in a position to coerce."

Because he was only convicted of two counts, Mr Justice Davis said “it would be wrong to say it was a campaign of rapes’, adding: “a lot of it involved drink, drugs or a combination of both”.

Prosecutor Martyn Kelly read out a list of Powell’s past convictions. He had been found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after punching and biting an attendant at Maesglas Retail Park, Newport, in 2002.

He also has a conviction of wounding with intent against a police constable after throwing punches when he was pulled over for drink driving in 2004 and a further conviction for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Justice Davis said Powell would be placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

During the three day trial, Powell’s victim gave evidence, saying she “didn’t live, just existed” and wanted to kill herself during the ordeal.

She told the court she suffered injuries such as a black eye, a split head from where Powell hit her, infected scrapes on her back and a bald patch on her head from where he dragged her by the hair. She also said Powell threatened to break her ankles.

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