A SEXUAL assault victim attacked when she was just SIX has spoken of her ordeal at the hands of her abuser -but vowed: "I won't let him ruin my life."
The woman, now in her early twenties and living in Hoghton, was abused by pervert Leslie Connell over a period of six years between the ages of six and 12 after he befriended her family in Nelson.
Connell, 78, formerly of Pendle, but now living in Spain, is facing jail after he admitted 11 counts of indecent assault at Burnley Crown Court last week.
His victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said her torment began when her family moved to Nelson about 15 years ago. She and her younger brother began spending time with Connell because both her mum and dad were at work all day.
She said: "It all started one day when I was about six and he took me into the shed in his garden and began touching me. He didn't say anything and he didn't tell me to keep it a secret, he just used to give me sweets.
"It carried on after that almost every day and I used to expect him to do something to me whenever I went round. He carried on touching me and he even took photographs of me. Most of it happened in his house, but he also took me out in his car and touched me there too.
"I didn't say anything, partly because I was scared and partly because I didn't really understand that what he was doing was wrong. I just didn't know any different because he had been doing it for so long."
The woman said the abuse continued until she was 13 when just by chance she saw a TV programme about sexual abuse.
She said: "I was watching the television when a programme came on and it showed similar things to what had been happening to me. I realised then what had been going on. I told my mum but I was still too frightened to go to the police or tell anyone else what had been happening. I started to go off the rails and began drinking and self-harming, I even ran away.
"It was only when I turned 18 that I realised I had to do something and stand up to this man - that's when I decided to go to the police."
She said: "I am quite surprised he has admitted what he has done, but I am pleased.
"I just want to put all this behind me now and get on with my life.
"I've got a boyfriend who I have been with for thee years and he is very understanding about what I have been through.
"I am looking forward to the future and I am just determined that I won't let the man who stole my childhood rob me of the rest of my life."
Connell will be sentenced at Burnley Cown Court in August.
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