Admitted sexually assaulting a girl over the age of 16.

A man attempted suicide multiple times after confessing to sexually assaulting a girl over the age of 16, a court heard.

When confronted with the allegations, Gareth Mitchell, 41, from Cwmbran, stated: "I'll be dead within the hour." His offense came to light when his victim confided in a counselor about the attack, leading to police involvement.

Prosecutor Alex Greenwood revealed that Mitchell, upon being challenged about the allegations, admitted, "I did it," and added, "I will be dead within the hour." Police discovered Mitchell attempting suicide in a car and transported him to a custody suite, where he made another attempt on his life. He was taken to the hospital and, after being released the following day, was interviewed.

During the interview, Mitchell provided a prepared statement acknowledging the offenses, expressing remorse, and stating, "It will never happen again." He later pleaded guilty to sexual offenses, including assault by penetration.

The court heard that Mitchell had a previous good character.

In a victim personal statement read by Mr. Greenwood, the victim shared, "I have been suffering as a result of what he did to me... As a result of his actions against me, my mental health has gotten a lot worse. I have been self-harming every week at least once a week... Prior to this incident, I had a degree of stability in my mental health – I was in a much better place and had a good circle of friends... I restarted self-harming. I am also looking around everywhere to make sure the defendant is not around or anyone who could possibly hurt me. I am incredibly anxious, scared to leave the house, and prefer somebody to be with me... I'll never forget what's taken place. I want to get my life back on track and be the best person I can be."

In mitigation, Jeffrey Jones argued that his client confessed upon being confronted with the allegations and had attempted suicide, highlighting his remorse. He described Mitchell's life as "likely to be altered forever with natural hostility and isolation."

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC stated, "This was not a long-lasting incident but one of profound effect [on the victim]." He sentenced Mitchell to three years imprisonment. The defendant was also placed under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.