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©️ By Sophie Lewis | Grooming Files

We were just kids. Drinking, hanging out, being reckless teenagers. It all felt normal at the time. But now, knowing what I know, I see things for what they really were.

I knew Benjamin Guiver years ago. Back then, I was 16, and he was 19. He had moved to Cwmaman, Aberdare from England, apparently because of “trouble back home.” At the time, no one really questioned what that meant. We were young; we had our own lives to live. But looking back, I can’t help but wonder—what exactly was he running from?

Ben was always strange. He was moody, bitter, and often angry at the world. He never seemed happy, but in our group, we didn’t analyse things too much. We drank together, spent time together, and carried on as normal.

But Ben wasn’t just another lost teenager. He was a predator.

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The Red Flags Were Always There

At 19 years old, he was in a relationship with a 13-year-old girl from our group. At the time, we didn’t see it for what it was. It was just “one of those things.” But now? Now, I know better. A grown teenager being in a relationship with a child is not normal—it’s grooming.

Looking back, I can see how easily we overlooked the red flags. He always seemed drawn to the younger ones. He positioned himself in a way that made him seem normal, just another part of the group. But predators don’t show up wearing a sign. They blend in, waiting for the right moment, the right person, the right opportunity.

And now, all these years later, Ben Guiver has been convicted of sexual assault.

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Convicted for What He Always Was

On October 31st , 2024, Benjamin Guiver was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the last 5 years to be spent on licence. For sexually assaulting a woman in her own home.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), he had visited the victim’s home pretending to be a friendly neighbour. But as soon as she let her guard down, he attacked her. She fought him off, managed to escape, and reported him to the police. Now, he’s in prison where he belongs.

🔗 Read the full CPS article on his conviction here

This is what happens when we ignore the warning signs.

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Predators Don’t Appear Out of Nowhere

Ben didn’t suddenly wake up one day and decide to break into a woman’s home and assault her. It started long before that.

• A 19-year-old choosing to be with a 13-year-old isn’t just “weird.” It’s grooming.
• A man who preys on a vulnerable woman in her own home didn’t just develop that mindset overnight. He’s been testing the limits for years.
• How many other victims has there been before this? How many more were too afraid to speak out?

This is what we need to talk about.

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How Many More?

This isn’t just about Ben. I know more of them. Too many of them. Men who were always drawn to younger girls, who blurred boundaries, who got away with it for years.

If this conviction proves anything, it’s that they don’t stop until they’re forced to.

How many more are out there, still preying on young girls, still positioning themselves as “one of the group,” still hiding in plain sight? How many are waiting to be caught?

How many are getting away with it right now?

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Speak Out.

If you have your own experience to share—it’s time to say something.

If you’ve been through this, if you’ve seen similar patterns in other men, if you know someone still out there doing this—don’t stay silent.

Because the only way to stop them is to stop letting them hide.

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