CARMARTHENSHIRE man Robert Smith, 26, of Penygarn Road, Ammanford, admitted to committing rape when he appeared at Swansea Crown Cour earlier this week.

On Friday (Feb 28) he was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for the offence.

At his sentencing today, the court heard how Smith entered the victim’s home and raped her while she slept in her bed on the evening on Tuesday 2 July, 2024.

The court was told how the defendant entered the woman’s home under the guise of performing a “welfare check” and took advantage of her while she slept.

Prior to the that evening, Smith and the victim were not acquainted with one another other. It was purely coincidental that they had met earlier that evening as they both happened to be at a mutual friends’ address where alcohol was consumed. 

The victim asserted that Smith would not have had any reason to enter her address later that evening to perform a ‘welfare check’.

On the morning of Wednesday 3 July 2024, the victim awoke with no recollection of the night before but believed she had been the victim of a serious sexual offence after waking up undressed and in pain.

The victim then contacted police to make an official report.

In a statement, the victim reported feeling “physically dirty and disgusting in the aftermath of the assault”, explaining how it was almost impossible to put into words how the incident had affected her.

The victim stated that she felt she had been treated like an animal, describing the attack as “inhumane” and a violation of her right to make a choice.

The court heard how the woman’s “life had been turned upside down” after being raped in her own home and subsequently moved away from the area out of fear for her personal safety.

Not only has the victim had to front the financial cost and emotional turmoil of moving away from a home she once adored, she has also had to deal with the psychological impact of the rape since the incident last summer.

The victim explained how she now struggles with her short-term memory and described feeling exhausted, vulnerable, and lost.

Summarising the lasting impact of the rape, the victim told the court: “I will never escape what that man did to me”. 

Following today’s sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, Detective Sergeant Carl Pocock told The Herald: “I want to commend the victim’s bravery in coming forward and reporting what can only be described as a hideous, predatory, and selfish crime. A person’s home should always be considered a place of safety and sanctuary, but Robert Smith’s actions in July last year destroyed the victim’s ability to live peacefully in her home. The impact of his offending cannot be underestimated.

“This case has been proven by the strength of the DNA evidence leaving Smith with very little option but to admit his guilt in court. Despite the victim having no recollection of events, the DNA evidence has spoken on her behalf”.

“While no sentence can ever undo Robert Smith’s heinous act, I hope that today’s outcome provides the victim with some form of solace as she starts to rebuild her life.

“I’d like to encourage anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault to come forward and report these offences. I hope that today’s conviction shows that our specialist trained officers will act with compassion, explore all reasonable lines of enquiry, and ensure that victims of sexual offences within our communities are provided with expert support. We will work relentlessly in the pursuit of such offenders and do everything we can to bring them to justice.”

The victim wished to pass on her thanks to the officers involved in the investigation who have supported her through the entire investigative process and kept her updated with developments in the case. In addition, she wished to pass on her thanks to her independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA) who has provided practical and emotional support throughout the process.

The victim also stressed that she hopes that the public do not speculate on the case on social media, adding “I am not the only victim in this case”, referring to the impact on the defendant’s family. She stated that she feels a great deal of sympathy for Robert Smith’s wider family who will all be deeply affected by his prison sentence and wanted to stress that she hopes his family are not the target for any online abuse. The victim wished to make it clear that targeting Robert Smith’s family in any way would be unfair and added that “they are not responsible for his actions”.