A former ice cream man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a campaign of grooming, sexual assault, and rape against a young boy, with some of the abuse taking place in his ice cream van.
Ceri Williams, 71, of Maes y Rhedyn, Maerdy, Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was handed the special custodial sentence at Swansea Crown Court after being convicted of 15 counts including rape of a child, indecency with a child, indecent assault of a child, and engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Abuse in the Rhondda Valley
The court heard the offending occurred in the early 2000s when Williams operated an ice cream van driving around the community in the Rhondda Valley. On one occasion, his late wife found him raping the boy and joined in the abuse, the court was told.
It was not until 2023 that the male victim disclosed the abuse to his partner and family. The matter was reported to police, and the subsequent investigation identified a second victim, a female.
Arrest and trial
Williams was arrested in July 2024. His reply to being cautioned was: "I am going to get done for this – I've seen this kind of thing on the news." In interview, he gave officers a prepared statement denying the allegations and claiming his accusers were lying.
He denied any wrongdoing and the case went to trial, where he was convicted. The court heard statements from the victims, read by prosecution barrister Ffion Thomas, describing the lifelong impact of the abuse.
Victim impact and sentencing
The male victim said he felt he cannot trust anyone and wished the thoughts and flashbacks he suffers would "go away" and let him lead his life. He said he sometimes wakes screaming in the middle of the night and that the smell of stale cigarette smoke triggers memories and makes him feel sick. He added: "My entire life has been a complete misery."
The female victim said the only way she could explain how she felt was "numb" and that what happened to her would never leave her. She said she did not think she would ever feel "truly clean" and had a history of scrubbing her skin to the point of bleeding and bathing in Dettol disinfectant. She added: "My life was taken away from me before it properly started."
Steven Thomas, for Williams, said the defendant was in "very poor" physical health and invited the court not to pass an extended sentence, arguing a lengthy determinate sentence would amount to a whole-life term "by any other name".
Recorder Christian Jowett said it was clear the abuse had lifelong impacts on the victims and that the pre-sentence report showed Williams continues to deny his guilt and has no victim empathy or insight into his offending. The recorder told Williams: "You alleged they were lying. They were not lying. You were lying."
Williams received a 25-year special custodial sentence as an offender of particular concern, comprising 24 years in custody followed by a one-year extended licence period. He can apply to the Parole Board for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life and was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
