Live updates as man accused of raping multiple women on nights out goes on trial

A man from Carmarthen is accused of raping three different women over a 20-year period. Daniel Gravell, 43, of Porth Y Plas, Johnstown, Carmarthen, has been charged with three counts of rape relating to incidents in 2002, 2005 and 2022 and is standing trial at Swansea Crown Court. He denies all charges against him.

On the first day of the trial, on Tuesday, April 22, prosecution barrister Matthew Cobbe said two of the incidents happened when the alleged victims were “hopelessly and helplessly” intoxicated. In 2002, the first alleged victim went to her friend’s party. The jury heard Gravell made the woman two cocktails and she had been planning to go to a venue in Carmarthen.

By the time she arrived at the venue she felt so unwell and unsteady on her feet she was given a lift back to her friend’s house in a friend’s car. When she got back to the house she was sick and her friend helped her and put her to bed while the house party continued. Don’t miss a court report by signing upto our crime newsletter here.

The jury heard that at about 4.15am the woman became aware of pressure on her chest. She turned to look and found the defendant on top of her. She told him to get off her but had no strength. The prosecutor said the defendant told her it was ‘ok’ and claimed to be her ex-boyfriend.

The second charge relates to an incident in 2005. Another woman was out with her friends when she started talking to Gravell outside a pub near a rugby club. Gravell proceeded to pull her arm and pulled her into a secluded area. The jury heard he pushed her head down to avoid being seen through a window of the rugby club.

The most recent accusation was from February 5, 2022. The final woman Gravell is accused of raping had been on a night out