A PAEDOPHILE faces a lengthy prison sentence after he was found guilty by a jury of sexually abusing a young girl.
Timothy Jones, of Usk Road, Caerleon, Newport, was convicted after a four-day trial at the city's crown court.
The 50-year-old carpenter had denied eight counts of sexual assault against a girl aged under 13.
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A jury of seven men and five women took five hours and 20 minutes to find him guilty of five counts, two by a majority verdict of 11-1 and three by 10-2.
He was cleared of the other three counts.
During her opening address to the jury, prosecutor Clare Wilks told them: “The defendant in this case faces allegations of sexual abuse.
“He denies all of the allegations and says they are false and that the complainant is lying.”
Miss Wilks added: “She said he would kiss her and touch her and he told her not to tell anyone. She told the police she was scared he would hurt her.”
The prosecutor played to the court a video interview the girl gave to detectives last year in which she said: “He would touch me in my private parts.
"He would say, ‘Keep this a secret. Don’t tell anyone.’ “He would undress me. I felt scared. I was scared he would hurt me."
Jones had described the allegations against him as “total rubbish”.
His barrister Susan Ferrier said in her closing speech to the jury: “The defendant insists he isn’t guilty.
"The prosecution is asking you to take dangerous leaps at the cost of this man’s life. In this case, there is a lack of detail.”
After the jury had returned their verdicts, Judge Richard Williams thanked them for their public service.
He said to the them: “This was a very unpleasant case to deal with evidentially and emotionally.”
Judge Williams said Jones would be assessed for the risk he poses to children and asked for an up-do-date victim impact statement to be prepared.
He told the defendant: “You will receive an immediate custodial sentence and you are remanded in custody.”
Sentence was adjourned until March 5.
Jones’ name was added to the sex offenders’ register.
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