A man, Harvey Blyth, who sexually assaulted a lady subsequently harassed and stalked his victim after being released on police bail.
Harvey Blyth transmitted a sequence of “vile” messages to the woman on social media and commenced harassing her. Upon examining the phone of 20-year-old Blyth, authorities discovered films depicting the sexual abuse of children, alarming online searches, and a shared private sexual video of a lady.
Swansea Crown Court was informed that Harvey Blyth suffers from substantial mental health and psychiatric disorders that have predominantly remained unaddressed, and a probation officer concluded that he should be classified as a dangerous offender. The offender expressed to the judge, “I am somewhat displeased with the 10-year extended sentence.” I anticipated a duration of three to four years.
Craig Jones, representing the prosecution, informed the court that following the rape, Harvey Blyth engaged in a sexual act upon his victim. The event was reported to law enforcement, resulting in the defendant’s detention and subsequent interview, followed by release on conditional police bail. The prosecutor stated that Harvey Blyth subsequently “initiated a campaign of what could accurately be termed harassment,” which including sending “vile” and nasty comments to his victim through Facebook. Harvey Blyth was apprehended and interrogated on his violation of bail conditions, subsequently freed, and resumed tormenting his victim on social media.
The court heard the defendant was arrested again and, while being held in Swansea Central police station, subjected an officer to racist abuse. Following this arrest, a number of Harvey Blyth’s phones and other devices were seized, and officers found three videos showing boys aged between 10 and 14 being sexually abused, as well as a video showing a man having sex with an animal. An examination of his internet history showed the defendant had been doing searches including “is rape okay” as well as “paedo rapes kids” and “naked 5-year-old”. Police also found that Blyth had sent had an intimate video which he had surreptitiously shot to somebody else.
In an impact statement which was read to the court the victim of the rape said the experience had left her feeling “wrecked inside”. She said she now feels anxious and scared of men, and is far less sociable than she used to be. The court heard the woman whose video Harvey Blyth shared now feels “haunted” by the idea that the footage “may still be out there”. In his statement, the officer who the defendant racially abused said he had been distressed and embarrassed at what happened in front of his colleagues.
Harvey Kristian Blyth, of Beauchamp Walk, Gorseinon, Swansea, had previously been convicted at trial of rape and had pleaded guilty to disclosing a private video, stalking, making – that is possessing – indecent images of Category A, possession of extreme pornography, and racially aggravated disorder when he appeared in the dock via video link for sentencing.
Georgina Buckley, for Harvey Blyth, said there was a letter from the defendant’s parents before the court as well as psychiatric and psychological reports which set out his mental health issues. The barrister said for the first time the defendant was now receiving medication, and that Harvey Blyth’s parents had seen a “remarkable change” in him as a result.
Judge Geraint Walters said the rape had taken place while Harvey Blyth was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and after he had “partied hard”. He said the defendant had then been “relentless” in trying to contact his victim despite attempts by police to reign him in. The judge said police had subsequently found evidence of the “disturbing” internet searches Harvey Blyth had been making.
Judge Walters said it was clear from everything he had read about the defendant that he had had behavioural problems from an early age which his parents had tried their best to deal with, and there was a “significant amount of work” which needed to be done with him. He described Harvey Blyth as a “young man with profound and complex needs” who seemed to have little understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and he said a detailed probation report had concluded that the defendant was a dangerous offender in the meaning of the legislation who would continue to be so until he was appropriately treated.
Harvey Blyth was made the subject of a 10-year extended sentence comprising seven years in custody followed by a three-year extended licence. The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence, but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released. Harvey Blyth will be a registered sex offender for the result of his life.
As the sentence was passed Harvey Blyth said to the judge: “I’m a bit upset about that. I was expecting three or four years.”
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