A MAN from Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, who subjected a woman to a “brutal” sexual assault in her own home, dragging her back by her hair when she attempted to escape, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Benjamin Guiver, 35, broke into the woman’s home in Goodwick on 24 May 2024 while she was asleep and launched a violent attack. Swansea Crown Court heard that the victim, whose identity is protected by law, had fallen asleep around 21:00 BST in her living room while watching television, awaiting her partner’s return. She awoke to find Guiver, a stranger, kneeling beside her.
When she tried to flee, Guiver pursued her outside, covering her mouth to stifle her screams, kicking her, and throwing her across the driveway. He then dragged her back inside by her hair, where the assault continued.
The court heard harrowing details of the attack, during which Guiver repeatedly beat the woman, sexually assaulted her, and choked her while threatening to kill her. The victim, in an attempt to reason with him, noted she could tell he was upset, but he responded by escalating his violence, telling her he intended to rape and kill her. At one point, he repeatedly bashed her head against a radiator. The assault only ended when the victim’s relative and partner arrived home, forcing Guiver to flee the property.
During sentencing, Judge Geraint Walters described the ordeal as “a brutal and terrifying attack within a person’s own home”, adding that it was “hard for anybody to imagine a more brutal and terrifying attack.” He noted that Guiver was laughing while strangling the victim to the point she turned blue, telling the court, “She was right to fear that you might kill her because you’d completely lost all reason and control due to the drugs and alcohol you’d consumed that day.”
The prosecutor, Robin Rouch, detailed the physical toll on the victim, who suffered numerous injuries, including fractures and extensive bruising on her face and stomach.
In an impact statement, the victim expressed how the attack had upended her life, stating, “I am a shell. Constantly nervous and frightened of my own shadow.” She revealed that her injuries have affected her daily life, describing how she struggles with basic tasks and now relies on her partner for support with activities like getting dressed and doing her hair. “My whole life has been ruined by one person on one night,” she added. “I know what has happened is going to continue to haunt me for the rest of my life.”
The victim’s son, who was also injured in the struggle to apprehend Guiver, gave a statement, recounting how he arrived home to hear his mother’s screams and acted instinctively to prevent Guiver from escaping. He recalled still being haunted by the sounds of his mother’s distress, saying, “I can’t get the noise my mother was making out of my head.”
Judge Walters sentenced Guiver to 20 years, including a 15-year custodial term and a five-year extended licence period. Guiver also faces an indefinite restraining order preventing any future contact with the victim.
Following the sentencing, DCI Matthew Briggs of Dyfed-Powys Police commended the victim’s bravery, stating: “The victim in this case has shown immense courage throughout the investigation, and I commend her for that. Suffering such an attack in your own home is unimaginable, and – as she detailed in her statement – has impacted every aspect of her life.”
Judge Walters concluded that the consequences of the trauma for the victim would be lasting, adding, “The chances are that she won’t ever completely recover from what you did.”
