## Carmarthen Man Denies Triple Rape Allegations, Claiming Sexual Encounters Were Consensual
A 43-year-old man from Carmarthen who stands accused of raping three women over a 20-year period has told police that all of the sexual encounters were consensual, dismissing the allegations as “laughable” and a “complete waste of time”. Daniel Gravell, of Porth Y Plas, Johnstown, is currently facing three counts of rape in Swansea Crown Court, with the incidents in question dating back to 2002, 2005, and more recently, 2022.
The trial, now on its sixth day, has heard detailed testimony from the prosecution, with barrister Matthew Cobbe outlining the sequence of events relating to all three complainants. The earliest case involves an alleged attack in 2002 at a house in Carmarthen. The woman told the court she had left the property to socialise in town but was forced to return after feeling unwell. After being assisted back to bed by friends, she claims to have awoken to a “heavy sensation” and “thrusting movement”, with Gravell over her. She recalled telling him to get off her twice, and said that he had pretended to be her former boyfriend during the encounter.
Challenged by defence barrister Tom Crowther KC, the woman firmly denied that the incident had anything to do with a desire to “punish” her ex-partner. The prosecution also presented a statement from a friend who said the complainant reported, immediately after the event, that she had been raped. Yet when first questioned by police in 2022, Gravell refused to comment. In a subsequent interview, he asserted that the woman had never objected to sex and theorised she was uncomfortable with “rumours” regarding the incident, not the event itself.
Gravell gave further details to the police, stating: “It was 22 years ago so I don’t remember everything but I remember we slept together. She was drinking but she was coherent. It was consensual.” He also noted having encountered the woman at subsequent social events, questioning why she would voluntarily attend social functions where he was present if his accuser genuinely believed he had raped her.
The case relating to a second complainant centres on an alleged assault in 2005. The woman claims Gravell raped her after they left a Carmarthen pub together. She says she was pulled into an alleyway, pressed against a wall, and that her efforts to attract the attention of passers-by went unheeded. Defence counsel challenged the credibility of new testimony related to a potential witness, questioning why it had only recently been disclosed. Friends of the complainant gave statements supporting her account, with one claiming the victim had been “dragged across the car park” by Gravell.
Gravell, for his part, maintained in police interviews that sex had taken place near the rugby club but described the encounter as consensual, insisting that he had not used force. He rubbished claims he had dragged the woman through a car park, suggesting such accusations were “laughable”. He also claimed to have later received a Facebook friend request from the woman, implying this was at odds with her allegations.
The third incident under consideration took place in February 2022, after the complainant had been out drinking in Carmarthen. She recounted waking up alone in bed feeling ill and with physical symptoms she attributed to a sexual encounter, which led her to take the morning after pill. Gravell’s statement to police describes their meeting on a night out, taking a taxi home, and asserts that what occurred was consensual, including both oral and vaginal sex. He mentioned that a friend and his companion had been present at the property, though he insisted the encounters remained consensual throughout.
Under police questioning, Gravell categorically denied providing the complainant with any drugs or medication and insisted he could not have caused her any injury or harm. When informed the woman believed she had been spiked, he responded, “I would categorically not spike anyone, not in a million years”. He consistently reiterated his belief that “everything was totally consensual”.
As the trial continues, Gravell remains firm in his denial of all charges against him. The court is expected to hear his evidence directly when proceedings resume on Wednesday. The case has attracted considerable attention locally, both for the serious nature of the allegations and the extended timeframe they cover.
Observers note that, as with all cases of alleged sexual offences, the presumption of innocence applies until a verdict is handed down. The proceedings offer a reminder of the importance of rigorous scrutiny in the justice process, ensuring all parties have the opportunity to present their accounts and for the facts to be fully considered in court.