Mum held at gunpoint for 8 hours by stalker blasts decision to free him

27 November 2023 , 15:49

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Mum held at gunpoint for 8 hours by stalker blasts decision to free him

A terrified mum who was held at gunpoint for eight hours by a dangerous stalker has slammed the decision to release him from prison.

Rhianon Bragg, 51, was kept in a barn overnight by her “delusional” former partner, Gareth Wyn Jones, after ending their five-year relationship in 2019. Dramatic CCTV caught the moment he pointed a shotgun at her chest, threatened to kill her and leave her four children motherless.

The former mechanic was jailed for four and a half years and is set to be released in February - despite a recent parole board finding he is still “not safe” to live among the public. Before she was held hostage, Rhianon had repeatedly warned police about Jones’ violent behaviour and “begged for help”, but her plea fell on deaf ears.

Gareth Wyn Jones pictured with Rhianon

She told the Mirror: “It’s absolutely terrifying. I’m a mother, I’ve got children, we just want to live safely in our own home. Who is going to take responsibility when he does it again? It’s mind blowing how much the criminal justice system is prepared to use the general public as guinea pigs.”

The decision to release Jones, 59, came just days before White Ribbon Day, on November 25 which calls for an end to violence against women and girls. Rhianon, who now campaigns against domestic violence, believes Jones is capable of killing someone.

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Rhianon Bragg was held at gunpoint for eight hours (Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)

She says the measures he’ll face to keep him under control while on licence do not go far enough. “Being given a curfew in a probation hostel is not enough, he is a really dangerous man,” she said.

“In some ways I am pleased that they have finally recognised what I have been saying all along. But to think that the authorities are going to release a man who can’t be safely managed, and they have recognised that, is unbelievable.”

CCTV footage installed by Rhianon Bragg caught the moment she was ambushed and held hostage at gunpoint

Although Jones will be kept on licence for five years following his release, even the parole board acknowledged that the probation measures were not “robust” enough to control him. In a report published last Wednesday it said: “The panel examined the release plan provided by Mr Jones’ probation officer and weighed its proposals against assessed risks.

"The plan included a requirement to reside in designated accommodation as well as strict limitations on Mr Jones’ contacts, movements, and activities. The panel concluded this plan was not robust enough to manage Mr Jones in the community at this stage.”

In its decision the panel said it was “not satisfied” his release would be safe for protecting the public and did not grant parole. However in February, Jones will still be released when his sentence finishes. CCTV captured the moment Jones, wearing black gloves and camouflage clothing, laid in wait for Rhianon outside her home in Gwynedd, North Wales.

Rhianon now campaigns against domestic violence

Gareth Wyn Jones with Rhianon's child

After keeping her in a barn for five hours, Jones forced Rhianon to drive out of the village to his own home. The ordeal only ended when she convinced him to allow her to attend a GP appointment the following morning and told the doctor what was happening.

The surgery was put on lockdown while police arrested Jones in the carpark. But Rhianon had previously warned the authorities about his dangerous behaviour and he was arrested three times.

Despite this, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges of harassment and menacing behaviour, claiming insufficient evidence. The CPS later admitted this was an error and said it should have charged him at this stage.

Wisely, Rhianon had installed the cameras which would go on to catch Jones pointing a shotgun at her just weeks later. But she questions whether, without this evidence, Jones would have got away with it yet again. She said: “There’s a huge amount that needs to be done and recognising how far we are away from a working criminal justice system is the first step.

Hollie Bone