'Deviant' jailed after grooming and sexually abusing young girls

A "SEXUAL deviant" groomed two young girls and sexually abused them on multiple occasions when they were under the age of 16.

- PHILIP DEWEY

One of the victims described the abuse as “easy as having a cup of tea” as she had been “programmed to think like that.”

Rocco Malanti, 51, sexually abused the two children and exploited them after exhibiting what was described as a “dark side to him”.

His victims bravely stood up in court and addressed their abuser, telling the defendant his actions had cast a shadow over their lives.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court said the abuse came to light in 2022 and both of the victims gave interviews to police about what Malanti had done to them.

After the victims told him they were planning on speaking to the police, he threatened to kill himself.

The first victim described the defendant as having gained her trust after buying her alcohol, cigarettes and driving her around.

He subsequently repeatedly sexually abused her. The victim said she pretended to be asleep at the time as she was “too scared to say no”, and the act hurt her.