Sex pest sets fire to wreath on woman's front door in random attack (original) (raw)

An intoxicated man set fire to a wreath on a woman's door after he repeatedly kept knocking and she told him to move away. The occupants managed to put the fire out with a vase of water but if left the blaze could have spread to the rest of the house.

Jake Shead, 26, also sexually assaulted two women in Barry town centre in random attacks which left both victims feeling "anxious and scared". The defendant was described as a "dangerous man" with a "bad reputation".

A sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday heard occurred at the Barry home of the victim at around 9.30pm on April 29 last year when she saw Shead leaning against a neighbour's door. She then heard a knock at her door and when she opened it she saw the defendant.

The victim asked "Did you knock my door?" to which Shead responded "F*** knows, I don't know." The victim closed the door but the knocking continued after five minutes. She felt scared and went up to her daughter's bedroom and opened the window to speak to Shead.

Having told Shead to "move", she closed the window but heard knocking again. The victim returned to the window and saw the front door had been set on fire. She panicked and called the fire brigade and her partner threw a vase of water onto a wreath on the door, which put the fire out.

Prosecutor Bethan Evan said Shead was at the scene and was shouting abuse at the fire brigade, telling them to "F*** off", but was arrested by the police. An examination concluded the fire could have spread to the rest of the house if it had not been put out.

In a victim personal statement, the woman said: "This has had a significant impact on me and my family. I was terrified for the safety of me and my daughter... I'm worried about repercussions and that he will come back. My front door is damaged and I have been unable to get it replaced so it serves as a constant reminder."

Shead was on bail at the time of these offences and was subsequently convicted of two offences of sexual assault which took place on August 28, 2021, in Holton Road, Barry. He was intoxicated through drink and grabbed a 16-year-old girl before attempting to hug her and kiss her.

When he was confronted by another woman about his behaviour, he grabbed her between the legs over her clothing. He denied the offences but the defendant, of Brunel Close, was found guilty following a trial. He pleaded guilty to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

In a statement read out to the court, the 16-year-old victim said: "This has made me feel a lot more scared when out in public and I have to have someone with me in case I see him again... I felt frightened and I know what he's capable of doing. He is scary and dangerous and I am afraid if I bump into him again something bad will happen."

The second victim said: "This incident has affected me a lot and made me feel a lot more anxious out in public.... He has a bad reputation for not caring about anyone, assaulting young women and boys and banned from most pubs. He does bad things. The incident shocked me and made me feel violated and I am more anxious of people around me."

The court heard Shead has 18 previous convictions for offences concerning drugs, driving matters, racially aggravated criminal damage, battery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and wounding. Defence barrister Kevin Seal said his client was drunk during both sets of offences and "didn't have a clue what he was doing".

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Shead to three years imprisonment. The defendant was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

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