A woman was forced to flee her home after a neighbour who sexually abused her was released and began taunting her from his window.
Jessica Jones, 32, was just nine when a male family friend tried to rape her while he was babysitting her at his house.
Abuser Raymond Longstaffe had persuaded her mum to let Jessica and her brother stay the night.
He led Jessica into his bedroom, stripped off her clothes and attempted to rape her while threatening to kill her mother’s partner if she told anyone what had happened.
Longstaffe was sentenced to eight months’ prison at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in 2003 and was registered as a sex offender for 10 years.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro's newsletter or get alerts the moment it happens.
But after his release, he moved back into his home opposite and would taunt Jessica and her family from his window.
Now the mum-of-three from Powys, Wales, is waiving her anonymity to speak about her experiences for the first time and encourage other survivors to seek support.
She also revealed she had been the victim of an earlier assault, aged just six, when she was grabbed and pinned to the ground by an older boy who began taking off her clothes at a holiday park playground.
Speaking of the attempted rape, Jessica said: ‘My abuser got back to his house, which was opposite ours, so I thought he’d threaten us, and so we had to move house.
‘He was in the window a lot of the time. If he saw my mum, he would pull a funny face and stick his tongue out. We moved schools, which I did feel a bit safer because he didn’t know where I had moved to.’
Jessica says the abuse she suffered as a young girl shaped her life, contributing to struggles at school, difficulties with relationships and years of poor mental health.
Describing the night she was sexually abused by the neighbour who had offered to babysit, Jessica said: ‘I just remember him coming in and prodding me and pulling the duvet off me. I was just really confused, wondering why he wanted me to go with him in the middle of the night.
‘He took my hand and dragged me out of the bedroom into his bedroom. He said, ‘Get in the bed,’ then he started talking to me. I was getting a bit scared because this had happened to me at six, so I was more aware.’
‘He was saying, ‘Make sure this is our secret, or I’ll come and kill your mum’s partner with a sledgehammer.’ I remember I went back to my bedroom, and I just didn’t go to sleep; I was so frightened.’
The next morning Jessica told her mother what had happened. Dyfed-Powys Police interviewed Jessica, who underwent a medical examination at hospital before later attending court proceedings.
What to do if you've been raped
If you have been the victim of rape, either recently or historically, and are looking for help, support is out there.
- If you want to report your rape to the police, ring 999 or the police non-emergency line on 101. An Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) will often be on hand to help you through reporting and even after you have made a statement, you can still decide to withdraw from the criminal justice process at any time.
- If you plan on going to the police, if possible, do not wash your clothes or shower, bathe or brush your teeth. If you do get changed, keep the clothes you were wearing in a plastic bag. These steps will help to preserve any DNA evidence your attacker may have left on your body or clothes.
- If you don’t want to contact the police, Rape Crisis suggest talking to someone you trust about what has happened; or you can ring one of the UK’s many rape and sexual assault helplines.
- Anyone aged 16+ can contact Rape Crisis's 24/7 Support Line by calling 0808 500 2222 or starting an online chat.
- If you have been injured, you’re best advised to go to your nearest A&E to seek medical treatment. If you are uninjured, you can go to your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). The NHS has information on where to find your nearest centre here.
- If your rape is historic, you can still access support, including from the police – there is no time limit on reporting and your account can still be used as evidence.
Read more here.
Jessica, who was breaking her silence to speak for the first time after more than 20 years, also recalled the earlier assault for which no further action had been taken against them.
Jessica said she struggled throughout her teenage years and was eventually expelled in Year 10.
The long-term impact of the abuse continued into adulthood.
Jessica added: ‘I went through a patch of not really caring about myself. I just went with very different partners.’
Jessica eventually met her husband, Tom Jones, while working at a pharmaceutical company. The couple went on to have three sons in 2017, 2020 and 2022.
She is now raising money for Rape Crisis and hopes her story will encourage other survivors to seek support.
‘When I was really struggling talking about it, I felt my throat would tighten and shut. I feel like I am now able to physically speak, and I just know there are so many other people this has happened to. I just want them to know that it’s ok to speak.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
MORE: Headteacher ‘mowed down and deliberately dragged for a mile to his death’
MORE: Real-life GTA chase in Essex as police catch Audi driver escaping at 115mph
MORE: Police car dangling precariously off seaside pier in crash trapping two officers