Police warning over bogus caller
VICTIMS of twisted Colin Gregg have bravely told of the devastating impact his abuse has had on them.
Former headteacher Gregg has been jailed after he was found guilty of nine counts of indecently assaulting four boys.
The ex-charity boss molested his victims, who were aged between 11 and 14, from the early 1960s until the 1990s.
Gregg, who lived in luxury at of Homefarm Steading in Gosforth, Newcastle, had tried to claim he was the victim of a police witchhunt but a jury saw through his lies and he was convicted after a trial.
And yesterday, at Newcastle Crown Court, the married grandfather was told he would serve 13-and-a-half years behind bars.
And in powerful statements, two of Gregg’s victims told of the devastating impact the pervert’s actions had on them.
One victim insisted his coming forward was not motivated by revenge.
He said: “Mr Gregg was a man who I had invested an enormous amount of trust and respect in.
“It was impossible for me to believe that he could have done what I know he did to me.
“As an 11-year-old my naivety and emotional immaturity meant that the only way I could resolve this dilemma was to assume that what had happened was my own fault.
“For many years shame and embarrassment were easier to tolerate than the truth.
“Mr Gregg’s abuse of power and trust left me with an extremely cynical and mistrustful view.
“It took a long time for me to develop the maturity to comprehend the reality of what actually happened to me.
“Once I had regained my grip on reality I felt very motivated to tell my side of the story.
“I have never been motivated by vengeance; rather my desire has been to set reality straight and where possible to uphold the reality for others who had similar experiences.
“I had taken nearly 26 years to comprehend that black was black and now I was once again being put under enormous pressure to believe that black was white.
“I was very grateful that the jury recognised the reality and were not persuaded to believe that black was white.”
Another told how he regretted not coming forward earlier.
He said: “Looking back at this whole episode of my life, it is something that I do not wish to dwell on and I sincerely hope now that I can put it all behind me and never hear the name Colin Gregg ever again.
“I feel remorse that I could not find the strength and courage to come forward earlier and support others in earlier claims against this man.
“However, I am pleased that this trial has finally put Gregg where he belongs.
“I hope he can reflect upon his actions in prison and feel shame for those whose lives he has adversely affected over a number of years.
“I also feel sympathy for the parents of the children, who will undoubtedly, but unjustly, feel guilt for putting their trust in this man and not seeing what was happening.
“A scenario I sincerely hope I will never have to face with any child of mine.
“Without doubt Gregg’s actions have had a profound effect on numerous people, directly and indirectly, and I hope that the sentence handed down not only reflects the seriousness and long running nature of the crimes, but also sends a message to others.” Stamfordham Road in Newcastle