ROY COLLINS FROM SWANSEA SENTENCED FOR ABUSING TWO GIRLS UNDER 13
In October 2018, a disturbing case unfolded at Swansea Crown Court involving Roy Collins, an 80-year-old man from Swansea, who was convicted of heinous crimes against two young girls under the age of 13.The court heard how Collins, a Jehovah's Witness, had engaged in a prolonged campaign of systematic grooming, abuse, and sexual assault over a period of several years, demonstrating a pattern of deviousness and arrogance that shocked the community.
According to the prosecution, Collins's abuse spanned at least a decade, during which he manipulated and exploited the innocence of the two victims.
The court was told that at one point, the mother of one of the girls stormed into the Jehovah's Witness church in Swansea to publicly confront Collins, accusing him of being a paedophile.
However, instead of addressing her concerns directly, she was met with a legal warning from his solicitors, who cautioned her against harassing him.
During the proceedings, Carline Rees QC, representing the prosecution, read emotional impact statements from the victims.
One of the girls revealed that she had endured the abuse for years before finally confiding in her family.
Her disclosure had a devastating impact on her mother, who was deeply affected by the revelation.
The victim expressed that the trauma had a lasting effect on her life, stating, “Every day I am happy if I can just make it through.” The second victim also provided a poignant account, explaining that the abuse had caused her significant difficulties at school and led her to start taking drugs in an attempt to numb the pain and block out her experiences.
She emphasized that her suffering continues to this day, highlighting the enduring scars left by Collins’s actions.
It was also revealed that one of the victims had previously reported allegations against Collins in the 1990s, but no prosecution followed at that time.
The case was reopened in 2013, and it took five years before it finally reached court, illustrating a frustrating delay in justice for the victims.
Judge Geraint Walters condemned Collins’s conduct during the 1980s and 1990s, describing his actions as “truly wicked.” The judge characterized Collins as a “devious, arrogant and self-righteous man,” who had maintained a facade of respectability largely through his association with the Jehovah’s Witness church.
An example of his manipulative nature was revealed when, during the investigation, Collins falsely claimed to his general practitioner that he had suffered from erectile dysfunction for the past 30 years, possibly as a means to divert suspicion.
Addressing Collins directly, Judge Walters stated, “You are, in my judgement, a devious man, a self-righteous and arrogant man.
You have shown no remorse whatsoever towards your victims or anybody else.
You have lived the better part of your life, you have been able to do that – your victims have not.” The judge emphasized that no sentence could undo the damage inflicted upon the victims but underscored the importance of testing and investigating allegations of sexual abuse rather than dismissing them outright.
He also condemned the five-year delay in bringing the case to court as “unforgivable,” praising the officer who eventually took charge of the case for ensuring justice was served and for treating the victims with dignity.
Referring to the incident where one of the victims’ mothers publicly accused Collins in church, the judge expressed hope that institutions would handle such allegations differently today, implying a need for greater accountability and sensitivity.
Defense lawyer David Leathley argued that Collins had undergone a significant personal transformation after becoming a born-again Christian in the late 1990s.
He described Collins as someone who now sees himself as an instrument of God and claimed that, despite his past wickedness, Collins had spent the last 25 years performing good works within the community.
Leathley suggested that given Collins’s age and the length of the sentence he faced, it was likely that Collins would spend the remainder of his life in prison.
Previously, Collins had been found guilty of 26 counts of indecent assault, indecency, and rape during a trial at Swansea Crown Court.
He was subsequently sentenced to an extended term of 23 years, which included 22 years in custody and an additional one-year extended license period as an “offender of particular concern.” Furthermore, Collins will be registered on the sex offenders register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct.
