KERRY KENDALL FROM SEVEN SISTERS AND SWANSEA JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST SCHOOLGIRL

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Seven Sisters and Swansea, Kerry Kendall has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of serious sexual offenses involving a young schoolgirl. The incident, which took place over a period of time, involved the victim, who was in her early teens at the time, and the defendant, Kerry Kendall, a woman with a history rooted in the Swansea Valley area.

Judge John Diehl QC presided over the case at Swansea Crown Court, where he emphasized the gravity of Kendall’s actions by stating, "It can only be a custodial sentence." The court heard that Kendall, residing on Station Terrace in Seven Sisters and formerly of Ystalyfera, had denied six charges related to sexual activity with a minor during her trial in December. After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury reached a verdict on some counts, finding her guilty of the first two charges by majority verdicts of 11-1, while acquitting her of counts three and four. Following an additional hour of discussion, the jury also convicted her of counts five and six by majority verdicts of 10-2.

The proceedings revealed that Kendall had previously pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to sending text messages that incited the teenage girl to engage in sexual acts in May 2009. The case was further complicated by the concerns raised by the girl’s mother, who became alarmed after discovering her daughter was spending an unusual amount of time with Kendall. The police became involved after the girl’s father found incriminating text messages from Kendall on his daughter’s phone.

Initially, the teenager maintained that nothing inappropriate had occurred. However, in February of the following year, her account changed, and she admitted that there had been "frequent" sexual activity between her and Kendall. During her trial, Kendall acknowledged exchanging explicit text messages with the girl but denied ever physically touching her in a sexual manner.

In mitigation, Patrick Griffiths highlighted that since her conviction, Kendall had faced social ostracism within her local community. The judge, in his sentencing remarks, pointed out that the victim was particularly vulnerable due to her uncertainty about her sexuality, and Kendall had exploited this vulnerability. Judge Diehl emphasized the seriousness of her misconduct, stating, "You knew that what was happening was wrong," and expressed hope that Kendall would receive appropriate help while in custody through a probation service program.

As part of her sentence, Kendall was disqualified from ever working with children and was informed that her name would be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely, ensuring she remains under supervision and monitoring for the foreseeable future.