ALFRED BROWN FROM BLAENAVON SENTENCED FOR RAPE AND ASSAULT IN CWMBRAN

In June 2014, a woman from Cwmbran courageously shared her harrowing experience as her attacker, Alfred Brown, was sentenced to a decade behind bars at Cardiff Crown Court. The sentencing took place on June 5, and Brown, aged 30, from Ty Fry Close in Blaenavon, received a prison term of ten years, with seven and a half years to be served in custody.

The victim, Kate King, who played a crucial role in the trial by providing vital evidence, was present during the sentencing. She chose to waive her right to anonymity, a decision that underscores her bravery in speaking out about her ordeal. Brown was convicted on multiple charges, including three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault, rape, and engaging in sexual activity with a female under the age of 16. These charges pertain to incidents involving two different women, with the majority linked to the victim who also waived her anonymity.

Her relationship with Brown began in 2004 when she was just a teenager. She was 15 years old when she fell pregnant, and she gave birth to their daughter on Christmas Day in 2005. Despite her mother’s reservations, social services allowed the young mother and her newborn to leave the hospital with Brown, and they subsequently moved into a flat together. The victim recounted a tumultuous and abusive environment, describing how Brown would often lash out violently, punching walls and tearing out electric lights during episodes of rage. She also revealed that he would destroy food in the freezer, stamping on it so their daughter would have nothing to eat, which left her feeling trapped and unable to leave.

One of the convictions relates to a terrifying incident involving a sword. The victim described how Brown chased her around their flat with a samurai sword, threatening to slit her pet rabbit’s throat with it. She was forced to lock herself in the bathroom to escape the threat. The abuse escalated further in September 2007 when Brown raped her. By February of the following year, she decided to leave him, making the decision to make him leave their home and refusing to allow him back in. Her reasons for staying initially were rooted in fear and isolation, as Brown had kept her from allowing anyone else into her life. However, as he started going out more and a friend began visiting, she felt a glimmer of support and strength to stand up to him.

During her testimony, the victim admitted that she was naive and did not recognize herself as a victim of domestic violence at the time. She explained, “I’d never had a relationship. I didn’t know.” Her protective instincts grew stronger after the birth of her child, especially as Brown became increasingly jealous of her attention to their daughter. This jealousy prompted her to lock him out of their home and refuse to let him back in. Despite ending their relationship, Brown later assaulted her in Cwmbran town centre, grabbing her by the hair in an aggressive manner. These incidents, which she had not previously reported to the police, added to the pattern of abuse.

Her mother, Nicola King, expressed her frustration and disappointment, revealing that she had tried to intervene early in her daughter’s relationship. She recounted how she approached police and social services, warning them about her daughter’s vulnerability and her involvement in a sexual relationship at a young age. Unfortunately, her efforts were met with indifference, and she felt that the authorities failed to act in time. Nicola King said, “I went to the police and to social services and they didn’t want to know. She hadn’t been to school in three months. I was saying to social services, I need help. I was fighting a losing battle. If they had interfered then, none of this would have happened. I think everyone failed her.”

Last year, after Brown was arrested for an incident involving another woman, a police officer approached the victim. Her mother began giving evidence in interviews from November of the previous year, describing her emotional distress. She revealed that she suffered a breakdown, was prescribed medication such as diazepam and antidepressants, and was plagued by nightmares. The victim expressed her relief at the sentence handed down, stating, “He’s got away with so much for so long. He’s got to be the dominating one, stripping the person of everything they’ve got until they are nothing.”

She also voiced her anger and frustration, emphasizing that her suffering should not be ignored. “People should know what’s happened because it’s wrong what I’ve been through. I do feel angry because if I’d been told he had such a bad background it would have been different. The police and social services should answer to the fact they did nothing to help my mum put a stop to it.”

Her message to others in similar situations was clear and poignant: “You need to go to police, because otherwise it will destroy you.”