A woman was forced to flee her home after a neighbour who sexually abused her was released from prison and began taunting her from his window. Jessica Jones, 32, from Powys, Wales, was just nine when a male family friend attempted to rape her while babysitting.
Raymond Longstaffe had persuaded Jessica's mother to let her and her brother stay the night. He led Jessica into his bedroom, stripped off her clothes and attempted to rape her, threatening to kill her mother's partner if she told anyone. Longstaffe was sentenced to eight months' prison at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in 2003 and was registered as a sex offender for 10 years.
Release and harassment
After his release, Longstaffe moved back into his home opposite and would taunt Jessica and her family from his window. His presence forced the family to move house, and Jessica later changed schools because she was so afraid he would find and harm her or her family.
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.'
Earlier assault and lasting impact
Jessica 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. No further action was taken against him.
Describing the night she was sexually abused, 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 me 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.'
Speaking out
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.
Jessica says the abuse shaped her life, contributing to struggles at school, difficulties with relationships and years of poor mental health. She struggled throughout her teenage years and was eventually expelled in Year 10. The long-term impact continued into adulthood.
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.'
