MY STALKING HELL
Mum Rhianon Bragg reveals moment ex held her at gunpoint in stalking horror – and how she considered taking her own life
Jones waged a terrifying stalking campaign against the mum-of-four when she ended their relationship in 2019
A MUM has revealed how she considered taking her own life after being stalked by an ex-boyfriend who then held her a gunpoint.
Gareth Wyn Jones was jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2020 after he held Rhianon Bragg hostage overnight in a terrifying ordeal.
2
2
He is now due for automatic release in February and will spend five years on license.
Jones' freedom comes despite the Parole Board warning it would not be safe to release him.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain brave Rhianon relived the horrors.
She told how she felt the stalking was a “much worse offence” than being held at gunpoint.
MORE ON BRAGG
She explained: “The pressure of the constant stalking - the worst time is when you can't see him, you don't know where they are and you don't know where they're going to pop up next.
“There's still a lack of understanding about the impact of stalking. For me, if I'm being really honest, it had gotten to the point where the pressure was so intense.
“I had been reporting to the police the whole way through. I was being told nothing was happening and they couldn't do anything about it.
“I had gotten to the point that I was considering taking my own life as a way out
Most read in The Sun
“For me, to have the gun at your chest and someone else making the decision that they're going to take your life isn't as bad as something that makes you consider taking your own life.”
Jones waged a terrifying stalking campaign against the mum-of-four when she ended their relationship in 2019.
Rhianon reported the former mechanic to police after he made threats to kill and he was arrested three times.
Officers also took his legally-held guns away but these were later returned when no further action was taken against him.
The Crown Prosecution Service later admitted it could have charged Jones three months before the August 2019 attack.
Instead the thug was free to hold up Rhianon at gunpoint in an eight-hour horror ordeal.
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Jones "leapt from the shadows" dressed in full camo gear as he ambushed Rhianon and threatened to leave her four children without a mum.
He was given an extended determinate sentence - meaning he received a fixed jail term with an extended period on licence upon his release.
The Parole Board found Jones held "traditional beliefs around gender roles in relationships and evidenced jealousy and a sense of entitlement".
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Officials also ruled he struggled to manage conflict, with a release plan that would see Jones living in designated accommodation with strict limits on his movements not considered robust enough.
The panel concluded: "After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public."
Topics