Sexual abuse victim shares audio of emotional statement he read to his attacker moments before he was jailed

The victim of a serial paedophile has bravely spoken out after his abuser was jailed for seven years.
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Adrian Gartshore-Taylor, 66, abused several boys, one just eight, while working as a car boot stall holder at the Great Birchwood Country Park on Lytham Road, Warton, near Preston.

The paedophile, of West End Road, Morecambe, served four and a half years in 2005 for 10 charges against boys and was recently jailed again for four counts of indecently assaulting a boy from the Freckleton area.

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Today the man, who cannot be identified, revealed the strength that finally facing his abuser had given him.

Adrian Gartshore-TaylorAdrian Gartshore-Taylor
Adrian Gartshore-Taylor

His full statement can be read here.

The victim took the brave decision to read a statement to Gartshore-Taylor in court, describing it as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done”.

He has now shared his words, with his voice disguised, in the hope speaking openly about it will encourage other victims in a similar position to come forward.

Today he said: “ For me it was about justice being served.”I can’t live in a world knowing there are perpetrators like him who could do harm, potentially to my children and to others.

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“Obviously I’ve been living with his since I was 10 years old and have spent years trying to bury it away.

"Every day my mind goes back to what took place, between four and 30 times a day, from smells, sounds, and textures, even to small bizarre instances like the order of the cutlery in his caravan.

“Reporting it to police was, although it sounds odd, exciting, because I knew there would be the chance to face him. The thought of being able to stand over him in that court room and for him to see in the position I’m in now in...well it puts the shoe on the other foot.

“He was that person all those years ago who made himself look strong and forced himself into that position of taking advantage.

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“Now it’s me in that strong position - but on the right side of the law.

“The memories won’t go away but I think it gives closure on them.

“I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. I’m determined to overcome the vulnerability I had years ago. I won’t let him win.”

The court heard as a youngster he was allowed to stay at Gartshore-Taylor’s caravan, where he was groomed and allowed to play computer games, before the attacks.

*If you are affected, or want to report a similar experience, call police on 101.