Rhianon Bragg was held at gunpoint in her own home after years of coercive control, stalking, and abuse by her former partner, Gareth Wyn Jones. Living in a remote part of North Wales, she experienced firsthand how rural isolation can be used to silence victims and shield perpetrators. Despite repeatedly reporting his behaviour to police, systemic failures left her unprotected—until the abuse escalated into a violent hostage incident. Rhianon’s personal account is published on the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s website.
Five Years of Coercion Culminating in Gunpoint Kidnapping
Their relationship began as many do, but over five years it morphed into a relentless pattern of coercive control, emotional abuse, verbal aggression, and physical violence. During the escalating abuse, Rhianon recounts how the vast silence of the environment felt like “nobody can hear you scream here” — a chilling reality she continues to live with. Her location offered no sanctuary, only strategic advantage to a man who believed the remote landscape was his domain.
When Rhianon ended the relationship in April 2019, Jones escalated to stalking and harassment. He even threatened her children, leading to multiple police interventions and the seizure of his firearms—only for them to be returned without further action.
The BBC reports that in August 2019, Rhianon was ambushed upon returning home. Jones held her at gunpoint for eight hours, forcing a terrifying confrontation in her own barn and farmhouse. He questioned whether she loved him, threatened her life, and insisted they resume their relationship. Only after she persuaded him to let her attend a doctor’s appointment — and made her distress visible to others — were the police finally called.
Failures of the Criminal Justice System
For Rhianon, the most harrowing part of her story may be the systemic neglect. Despite being stalked and threatened, Jones evaded prosecution until after the hostage incident. A senior district prosecutor later admitted there was sufficient evidence to charge Jones months earlier, but chose not to, a decision the Crown Prosecution Service later labelled a mistake
Her trauma was exacerbated by this institutional failure. Rhianon reflected that any part of the system—police, CPS, or probation—could have intervened to protect her earlier, possibly averting the hostage scenario.
Jones was eventually convicted in February 2020 of stalking, false imprisonment, threats to kill, and firearm offences. He received a four-and-a-half-year sentence, followed by a five-year licence.
Ongoing Threat Despite Restraining Order
Even after prison, Rhianon’s safety remains in jeopardy. Jones is subject to an 800-metre restraining order – a measure her legal team acknowledged as dangerously inadequate in a rural setting
She sought to extend it to cover the whole of Gwynedd, but a judge refused—claiming no change in circumstances, despite police and probation warnings that the risk remained high
Rhianon described the ruling as “gutting,” a “ticking clock” on her continued safety.
She continues to live with PTSD—experiencing flashbacks triggered by innocuous events like a police officer’s gloves or a movie plot—underscoring how deep psychological harm can be, even years later.
A Force For Change
Rhianon Bragg’s story is a case study in how geography, coercion, gun violence, and institutional failure can combine to threaten survivors long after the abuser is removed.
Despite the trauma, Rhianon has turned her experience into a force for change. She is now a recognized campaigner on rural domestic abuse, gun crime, and stalking. She shares her story with police forces (including Dorset, where she worked with firearms licensing officers), domestic abuse professionals, and the media.
She pushes for widespread adoption of risk-assessment tools such as those developed by criminologist Jane Monckton Smith, who developed an 8-step timeline to homicide.
Rhianon now supports training initiatives in police forces across England and Wales. She highlights that domestic abuse linked to firearms licensing must be understood and acted upon early, to prevent future tragedies.
Through her ongoing campaign, she hopes others will not have to endure what she and her family have.
Featured image: Rhianon Bragg. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Good Morning Britain.
