Child abuse victim speaks of "sadness and grief"

A victim of child sexual abuse says she feels "consumed by sadness and grief", months after her abuser was jailed at Gloucester Crown Court.

Steven Matthew Jones, who is 42 and of no fixed address, was jailed for more than 11 years in November 2024.

He pleaded guilty to 12 offences, including sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15.

In a statement his victim said: "Now I never really know what to do with myself these days, I always feel lost. Every day I still ask why? I feel so consumed by so much sadness and grief.

"I feel like I'm trying to fix myself which is so badly broken I don’t know if I can be fixed. I feel and see not just my life darkened, but also my family I had had around me and how it has affected them.

"I am still hurting from the pain that has been caused and I’m just trying to live life the best I can now."

Jones has been placed on the sex offenders' register for life, handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order.

He also admitted two counts of burglary, with six other burglaries taken into consideration when he was sentenced, along with an attempted burglary and a shoplifting offence.

Detective Constable Chloe Morris, from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team, said: "I would like to thank the victim for being so courageous in coming forward and for the tenacity and resilience they demonstrated throughout the process.

"Any assault of this nature is an absolutely abhorrent crime and the victim in this instance suffered significant trauma that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

"The length of sentence in this case reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and I hope this will give confidence to any other victims who may be suffering in silence, to come forward.

"My colleagues and I work tirelessly to ensure that dangerous individuals like this are put behind bars and that victims receive the justice they deserve."

• gloucestershire