A university student who broke into multiple homes in the middle of the night to watch women sleep—and in one case, sexually gratify himself – has been sentenced to an extended prison term.
Evan Powell, 21, was found guilty of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence after a jury rejected his claim that he was simply searching for a lost phone.
The incidents occurred in the early hours of October 31, following a student night out in Swansea.
Powell, a computer science student at Swansea University, had attended a fancy dress party on Brynmill Crescent before heading to bars on Wind Street. Dressed in a black suit and tie resembling characters from the film Men in Black, he later returned to the Brynmill area and unlawfully entered three homes, attempting to enter a fourth.
In one house, Powell first entered a child’s bedroom, rummaging through drawers and waking the child. He then moved to the mother’s room, where she awoke to find him standing by her bed. He fled when she stirred.
At another nearby property, Powell entered a woman’s bedroom and exposed himself, masturbating while watching her sleep. When the woman woke and confronted him, a struggle ensued in the kitchen. She punched him, and he pushed her before fleeing.
In a third home, Powell was scared off when the occupant woke to the sound of the door opening. He then returned to his shared student accommodation.
Police launched an investigation after the incidents were reported. 20-year-old Evan Powell, from Brynmill, was identified using retrospective facial recognition software. Powell was arrested later the same day.
Officers later discovered he had also attempted to enter a fourth home that night but was unsuccessful.
During his trial in April, Powell denied any sexual motive, claiming he was trying to find the house where the earlier party had been held in hopes of retrieving his lost phone. He admitted the situation was “very odd” but insisted he was simply lost and bad with directions.
The jury did not believe his explanation and convicted him of three counts of trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence and one count of attempted trespass with the same intent.
The court also heard that Powell had previously sexually assaulted a young woman in October 2023. He followed her along Bryn Road in the early morning and groped her. Although the incident was reported, he was not prosecuted and instead received a “community resolution,” which involved admitting the offence and writing an apology letter. The judge later criticized this decision, and it was revealed that proper procedures had not been followed by the investigating officer.
At sentencing, Powell’s barrister, Avirup Chaudhuri, said his client came from a supportive family and had shown remorse. He suggested Powell’s shame might be preventing him from fully acknowledging his actions. He also noted Powell’s young age and said he had been helping fellow inmates with literacy skills while in custody.
Judge Paul Thomas KC described Powell’s actions as “extremely sinister,” stating that he had been “prowling the streets” looking for “opportunities for non-consensual activity.” He emphasized that Powell’s motivation was clearly sexual and that he posed a high risk of reoffending due to his lack of insight or acceptance of his behavior.
Powell, now living in Newport, was sentenced to a nine-year extended sentence – five years in prison followed by four years on licence. He must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial term before being eligible for parole. He will also be on the sex offenders register for life.
Detective Inspector Stuart Prendiville from South Wales Police said: “Evan Powell’s actions on October 31 last year left multiple people in the Brynmill area feeling unsafe inside their own homes.
“That he entered their homes with the intention of committing a sexual offence is a significant aggravating factor.
“There is no justifiable explanation for Evan’s actions, and he is now rightly embarking on a term in prison.”
