POWYS MAN FOUND GUILTY OF CHILD RAPE IS JAILED FOR 21 YEARS
Deceased A Powys man has been jailed for more than two decades for raping and sexually abusing a young girl over a nine-year period.Paul David Withnell, 74, of Presteigne, was convicted of 19 child sex offences following an eight-day trial at Merthyr Crown Court in November 2025.
He was sentenced to 21 years in prison on January 16, 2026.
The court heard the victim was just seven when her life was affected, continuing until she was 15.
The abuse began in the 1980s under the guise of a sick, sexually abusive game.
Withnell constructed a fantasy of a romantic relationship with the girl, during which he began raping her.
She experienced a miscarriage during the summer holidays.
The victim stated, “As I look back over my childhood, I am left with lasting trauma, flashbacks and memories that will never leave me.
My innocence was ruined far too young, and I was forced to live in a world for adults when I was a mere child.” He was also found with naked photographs and personal drawings of young girls.
He admitted to police that he thought girls aged 13 to 16/17 were 'most beautiful' and wanted to capture that in his drawings.
In March 2025, Withnell pleaded guilty to taking indecent photographs of a child but denied other charges.
He was guilty of: - 4x Rape of a female under 16 - 6x Gross indecency of a girl under 14 - 8x Indecent assault of a girl under 16 - 1x Making indecent photographs of a child The judge noted the impact on the victim’s life, causing her 'unspeakable hardship, misery and upset,' and emphasized the severity of his conduct.
Withnell has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The police statement praised the victim's bravery and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting victims of sexual abuse.
——————————————————————————————————- POWYS PAEDOPHILE DIES THREE WEEKS INTO 21-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE Paul David Withnell, from Broad Street, New Radnor, was sentenced last month to 21 years in prison following his conviction for a string of child sexual offences dating back to the 1980s.
He had been imprisoned less than three weeks earlier on January 16 after a Cardiff Crown Court judge noted he had shown "not one single shred of remorse" for his crimes.
He pleaded guilty to making 132 category C indecent photographs of a child between October 8, 1987 and October 7, 1990 at various locations in the UK and possessing 132 category C indecent photographs of a child on July 2, 2022.
He was convicted of 22 historic sex offences including six charges of gross indecency with a girl under 14 between October 8, 1981 and October 7, 1989 and 12 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16 between October 8, 1981 and October 7, 1989.
He also denied four counts of raping a female under 16 between October 8, 1987 and October 7, 1990.
The incidents happened in various places including in Mid Wales.
He was convicted of all charges after an eight-day trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in November last year.
