Paedo’s sick sex lessons
he told me rape was a game all daddies played By Janet Sutherland, 35, from Kelso
Plonking himself amongst my dolls, my stepdad Laurence Galloway pulled me onto his lap. ‘What are we playing today?’ he beamed. ‘Having a tea party,’ I smiled. It was 1986, I was 4, and adored Laurence, then 23.
After my real dad walked out, I loved having a proper father figure in my life.
Mum was besotted with Laurence, too, and we were finally the stable, happy family I craved.
Laurence would play make-believe with my dollies. We’d cuddle up as he read me books, putting on silly voices.
One afternoon, Mum was outside when Laurence called me to my bedroom to play. He was lying on my bed. ‘Come and give me a hug,’ he said, so I ran over, jumped on top of him. Only, Laurence was naked. Weird, I thought, shocked. But then Laurence took my clothes off, too, and tried to put his penis inside me. I remember pain, confusion. What’s happening? I worried. I didn’t understand what Laurence was doing.
But, realising I was too small, he gave up. ‘It’s a game all daddies play,’ he smiled after.
I was too young to realise how wrong it was, but I didn’t tell a soul, even though I felt so sore.
Laurence began sneaking into my room at night. He’d take off my clothes, paw at my little body, grope my private parts. And he’d make me touch him.
It wasn’t long before he did actually rape me. Pain tore through me as he pinned down, muffling my cries.
‘Remember, it’s Daddy’s secret game,’ he grinned. After, I was crying in agony. ‘What’s wrong?’ Mum asked me.
‘I fell over,’ I lied, confused and frightened.
At night, Laurence did horrible, painful things to me. But the rest of the time he was the perfect dad – one who’d take me horse riding. So, out of misplaced loyalty, I kept quiet.
When Laurence taught me how to give him oral sex, it was disgusting, painful, sick-making.
By then, I knew it was wrong, but I felt trapped. Laurence made Mum happy, so I wanted to please him. And Mum had no idea he was making me play depraved sex games.
When I was 10, Laurence made me kiss him with an open mouth.
‘Practice for when you kiss
I was too young to realise how wrong it was
your own boyfriends,’ he leered.
Soon after, I met local lad Paul Douglas, 12, through mates. He looked like a young Tom Cruise, with dark, floppy hair and a baby face. I fancied him immediately. We’d play together on Coldingham beach, hide in the caves, walk around the harbour.
One day, I kissed Paul. After, we’d steal time together. It was a sweet, innocent relationship. But Laurence didn’t think so. ‘Have you been having sex?’ he’d roar when I got home,
tearing at my knickers, and checking them and my privates for proof. Horrific.
When I was 11, I promised myself that, when Laurence crept into my room, I’d try to fight him off.
And I’ll never let him see me cry, I vowed.
But the attacks left me with bruises that I’d hide under baggy clothes.
I wanted to confide in Paul. But, when I was with him, I forgot all about Laurence.
I didn’t want to ruin what we had. But I told Mum. ‘Laurence rapes me,’ I wept one day.
Only, Laurence denied it, said I was confused. Then he bribed me with £1 to tell Mum I’d lied.
Defeated, I agreed, and I think it was easier for Mum to believe I’d lied than to accept the unthinkable truth. So the abuse carried on.
When I was 12, I started my periods. And, one afternoon, Laurence came into the kitchen, shutting the door. ‘You know I’m not your real dad,’ he said. ‘Yes,’ I stuttered. ‘It means me and you can have a baby,’ he said.
My blood ran cold, and my stomach churned. My stepdad wanted my baby! I was just a child myself. ‘That’s disgusting,’ I cried. ‘It’s not. You can have a baby for me,’ he grinned. Sickened, I fled to my room. From then on, every time he raped me, I lived in fear that I was pregnant with his child. What would I do? Shortly after, Laurence and Mum split, but we’d still visit him, and he’d still attack me. Eventually, I told a friend. ‘Don’t tell anyone,’ I begged. But she told a social worker. The police were called and Laurence was questioned.
I gave a statement, and had a horrible, intimate examination.
By then, Paul and I had drifted apart, so I couldn’t tell him about Laurence.
But, as police investigated, two other child victims came forward...
I lived in fear that I was pregnant with his child
Finally, in March 1997, Laurence Galloway, then 34, appeared at High Court Edinburgh, charged with seven counts, including shameless indecency, rape and sodomy against three children aged 7-14 between 1990 and 1994.
At the last minute, he pleaded guilty, saving us from having to give evidence.
But the court heard how he’d raped me, and made his other two poor victims have sex with each other while he watched. Utterly depraved.
As he was jailed for 15 years, I sobbed with relief. And, with that monster locked up, I tried to move on.
When I was 22, I fell in love, and we had two daughters, now 10 and 7. Sadly, their father and I drifted apart.
I’d often thought of Paul, searched for him on social media... And, in December 2013, I found him!
I don’t know if you remember me, I messaged.
He replied, How could I forget my first kiss?! My stomach fluttered. So I went to visit him, and all those old feelings rushed back. This time, I told him about Laurence. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he whispered, stunned. ‘I’d have taken you away.’ ‘I didn’t want you to treat me differently,’ I admitted, hugging him. We both wept.
Within weeks, we’d moved in together.
It’s been a whirlwind of happiness since, and the girls adore him.
Paul proposed in January 2015 – and, last year, we had a little girl, who’s now 18 months old.
Later this year, we’re getting married on Coldingham beach, where we first fell in love when we were just kids. So romantic. Vile Laurence Galloway was released from prison in 2007, after serving 10 years of his sentence. I’ve since heard he’s changed his name. It’s no justice – not for the three childhoods he destroyed. My own nightmares still come and go, and my past is so full of pain. But Paul saved me then, and he’s saving me again now. With him and my girls, my future will be full of love and happiness.
We’re marrying on the beach where we fell in love