Lured by Xbox
That sicko, let loose to destroy more young lives...
Slumped on the sofa, I had nothing to do. ‘I’m bored,’ I groaned. It was July 2006, I was 6, and the school holidays had just started.
My big sisters – Sarah, then 12, Katie, 14, and Emma, 16 – were out with their mates.
‘Why don’t we go to mine and play on my Xbox?’ my neighbour, Ricky, then 16, suggested.
Ricky O’grady lived across the street. He was always popping over.
With four daughters, my dad, then 29, loved having a boy around. In fact, we all loved Ricky.
‘Please can I go, Dad?’ I begged him.
‘Just be back before Mum gets home,’ Dad said.
Ricky and I were soon engrossed in a game in his front room. When... ‘Martine,’ Ricky said. ‘I need you to help me out.’ ‘What with?’ I asked. ‘I just need you to touch my private parts,’ he said.
I looked up suddenly, completely shocked. ‘No,’ I squirmed. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘It’s OK.’ I felt uncomfortable, wanted to go home.
Ricky was 10 years older, much bigger then me – tall with broad shoulders. I was scared. Ricky made me touch him, and started touching me, too. It felt so wrong. ‘Time to go home,’ he said, after half an hour. Shaking, I got up. ‘Don’t tell on me,’ he warned, zipping up his flies.
I ran straight up to my room and cried.
The next morning, Ricky came over, acting as if nothing had happened. ‘Alright, Martine?’ he grinned. I felt sick, afraid – but, after that, Ricky would invite me over to his every few days. I was too scared to say no, but he’d take me straight to his bedroom and abuse me. It made me feel so dirty. I pleaded with him to stop, but I was at his mercy. Then, in January 2009, I threatened to tell my mum. ‘You’ll be arrested,’ Ricky, then 19, said. So I kept quiet. A few weeks later, I was lying on my bed when my phone pinged. A message from Ricky. My sister Sarah, 15, was next to me on her phone. When I thought she wasn’t looking, I quickly read the text. Next time I see you, I’m going to pull your knickers down, it said. My stomach churned. Eventually, Sarah went to bed and I went to sleep.
Only, the next morning, there were police cars outside the house.
Mum, Dad and Sarah were together in the front room with a female officer.
‘You’re not in trouble,’ said the officer. ‘We just want to know what’s been happening with Ricky.’
I realised Sarah must’ve seen Ricky’s text, told our parents.
I didn’t blame her, part of me was relieved. ‘I’m sorry!’ I cried. ‘I’ll kill him!’ spat Dad, while Mum went white.
I told them everything, and the police took my phone as evidence. Ricky was arrested, charged. Mum took me to counselling, and made sure I didn’t get behind at school. Dad blamed himself. But the only person who I blamed was Ricky. I hated him. Finally, in September 2011, the case went to court. I gave evidence via video link.
Ricky O’grady, by then 22, was found guilty of two counts of causing or inciting
a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
He was jailed for just three years.
It meant that, when I was 13, Ricky was released.
We were assured that Ricky wasn’t allowed in the presence of girls under 16 without other adults present.
Thankfully, the family had moved away now.
But I was still terrified of bumping into my abuser.
After more counselling, I got my life together, studying for A levels.
But, last October, I got a text from a friend. He said that they’d heard O’grady had been arrested. My heart sank. But it was only when his case went to Aylesbury Crown Court this January that I discovered the stomachchurning details.
O’grady, now 28, had pleaded guilty to three rapes, two attempted rapes, three counts of indecent assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, sexual assault on a child under 13 years and causing a child to watch a sexual act.
And he’d also admitted two counts of possessing indecent images of a child and three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The court heard that he’d started abusing young girls at the age of 9 or 10.
He’d raped and assaulted victims in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire between 1999 and 2017.
The victims were all aged between 7 and 15. Horrified, I broke down.
I knew all too well exactly what those poor girls had gone through.
This time, O’grady was locked up for 24 years. A long stretch – but it hadn’t happened soon enough.
I feel so angry he was freed to carry out his sick fantasies again and again.
Ricky O’grady ruined my life before it’d even really started.
I’d gone though hell, getting him locked up.
Yet, after three short years, he’d been let loose to do it all again, to hurt more little girls. ‘It’s just wrong!’ I sobbed. Why was no-one keeping an eye on him?
The criminal justice system let them all down.
O’grady may finally be rotting in jail, but all of those girls should’ve been protected.
Now it’s too late.
It’s wrong. Why was no-one keeping an eye on him?
I know what those poor girls went through...