ROBERT JONES FROM CHESTER, COLWYN BAY, AND DEGANWY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON TEENAGER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Chester, Colwyn Bay, and Deganwy, Robert Jones, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was sentenced to prison after a court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. The incident took place at his home in Albert Drive, Deganwy, where Jones lured a 17-year-old girl under the pretense of a job interview for a massage therapist position.

Jones, aged 45, had previously been a general practitioner before being struck off the medical register for child pornography offenses in 1999. His criminal record includes a four-month jail sentence at Chester Crown Court in 1999 for possessing indecent photographs of children. Despite his medical background, Jones later established a natural health clinic called The Better Health Clinic in Chester, which operated without requiring registration and was reportedly in significant debt.

In January of the year in question, Jones placed an advertisement at a Llandudno Jobcentre, seeking applicants for a massage business he intended to open. A young woman, a beauty therapy student aged 17, responded to the ad and was invited for an interview at Jones’s residence in Deganwy. The interview began downstairs with general questions, but later continued in Jones’s bedroom when his wife and children were out.

Prosecutor Des Parry detailed how Jones, during the interview, stripped off his clothes, exposing himself to the girl, and initially asked her to massage his back. The situation escalated as Jones turned over and instructed her to massage the rest of his body. He then directed her to lie on the bed, where he proceeded to open her bra and massage her breasts, claiming he wanted to demonstrate the lymphatic system. Jones later told police that he had accidentally filmed the incident while charging his video camera in the bedroom, although authorities found no actual footage.

Jones’s past convictions for exposing himself and downloading child pornography cast a long shadow over the case. A probation officer described him as a dangerous individual. During the trial, Jones admitted to sexual assault and causing the girl to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for life. Additionally, he was prohibited from working with anyone under 18, and an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed.

Judge Peter Heywood addressed the court, emphasizing the vulnerability of the young girl, who was eager to advance her career and believed she was attending a legitimate job interview. The judge expressed his belief that Jones had deliberately lured her there to satisfy his own sexual gratification, noting that he appeared to derive some thrill from exposing himself to young females. The impact on the girl was profound; she experienced diminished confidence, flashbacks, and difficulties in continuing her college studies.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Jones’s wife, a practice nurse at a doctor’s surgery in Colwyn Bay, stood by her husband. Defense lawyer Huw Edwards argued that Jones’s guilty pleas spared the girl from the trauma of testifying in court. Edwards highlighted Jones’s intelligence and qualifications as a medical professional but acknowledged that his predilections had destroyed his career. The court was also informed of Jones’s earlier convictions, including a 1990 and 1993 case involving indecent exposure, and the 1999 case involving child pornography.

In a related case from February 1999, Jones, then aged 34 and residing in Deganwy near Llandudno, was convicted of possessing and creating indecent pseudo-photographs of children. He had downloaded approximately 5,000 pornographic images, some involving children, and had superimposed his own naked image onto some pictures. He received a four-month jail sentence and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years. The judge condemned Jones’s actions, emphasizing the role of such material in perpetuating exploitation and abuse, and noted his prior convictions for indecent exposure involving teenagers.