I was groomed, given cocaine and raped the day before my GCSEs by paedo boyfriend
Lily Stockton, 20, from Chester, has bravely wavered her anonymity to share her story
LILY Stockton was flattered when Dalton Beardmore began flirting with her at a party.
Things moved fast and within weeks they were an item. At 14, she felt so grown up dating a fun, handsome 22-year-old.
But, just as quickly as it began, their romance took a sinister turn. Beardmore became controlling, ringing her constantly during class and tracking her movements to ensure she wasn't chatting to other boys.
He slapped her round the face, forced her to watch violent porn and plied her with drugs.
Then, in 2014 the night before a GCSE exam, he raped her.
Here, Lily, now 20, from Chester, bravely shares her story...
Beardmore spotted me at a party and latched on to me straight away. I was flattered and really liked him. He was 22, so eight years older than me but it didn't put me off - three weeks later we were a couple.
He acted like he really fancied me which I loved, I'd never experienced that before. We’d go to the cinema and out with his mates. It seemed normal.
Five weeks later we slept together for the first time – I was a virgin. But it wasn’t the special occasion I’d hoped for.
As we had sex, he was rough and aggressive. He yanked on my hair and told me, ‘this is what sex is’. Afterwards I felt confused and upset.
Still, I was really attracted to him. It sounds really stupid now but I loved how controlling he was.
He was so protective – I wasn’t even allowed to look at another boy or he’d get angry and shout at me.
I was at school at the time, studying for my GCSEs, and he would ring and ring and ring me. I would have to leave classes every day to answer my phone.
The teachers were obviously really worried and tried to bring it up – but I was resistant to their support. I thought he loved me and this was what love was.
It was soon the summer holidays and against my mum’s permission I went to live with Dalton. I spent the next six weeks sleeping over at his.
My dad was really concerned. He kept reporting me missing to the police, they would take me home but I would rebel and go out again.
Around eight weeks into our relationship Beardmore slapped me around the face. I wasn’t surprised. I thought it was normal. But, from there it escalated.
Most nights I’d spend at his house, where he’d pester me for sex all the time. I’d always give in as he’d become angry if I didn’t.
He’d make me watch violent porn too. I hated it, I was terrified, but every time I left, he would physically come and get me.
He would track my phone to see where I was, come and collect me and take me back to his flat.
Then, one weekend, he offered me alcohol. I was only 14 and didn’t want it. But he was insistent. Within weeks, I was drinking a bottle of vodka a night.
Then he offered me cocaine. Terrified to say no, I reluctantly snorted it. My life was spiralling and I soon became addicted to mephedrone (MCAT) and cocaine.
In 2014, while my mum was away on holiday, we went to stay at her house. After dinner we went up to my bedroom and started having sex.
After the rape, he got up, handed me a box of tissues and said: ‘I would have been more gentle if you had let me do it’
Lily Stockton
But moments later, something dreadful happened. I tried to stop but he carried on. He flipped me over and pushed my face into the pillow. I pleaded with him to stop. I no longer consented to the sex but he didn't care. I was in agony and as he continued to rape me I started to cry.
Afterwards, he got up, and handed me a box of tissues. He told me, ‘I would have been more gentle if you had let me do it’.
I staggered to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. It was in that moment that I realised I’d been raped.
The next day I had GCSE exams, but I couldn’t face going to school. Instead I confided in my brother, who drove me to the police station where I gave a statement to officers.
The police went to collect the bedding, still unwashed from my mum’s house, as evidence.
Dalton denied all the charges and I had to wait two years for the trial. In April 2014, while he was out on bail, Dalton tried to force me to drop the charges against him.
One day, while I was walking in town, he chased me down the street on his motorbike.
He tried to intimidate me. But even though I was terrified, I was determined to get justice.
Thankfully in October 2015, Dalton Beardmore, 28, of, Anstey, Leicestershire, was found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual activity with a child at Leicester Crown Court. He was also found guilty of witness intimidation.
He was jailed for eight-and-a-half years years and forced to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. He was also handed a sexual harm prevention order for a minimum of 15 years.
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I was relieved when the officer told me the verdict. Knowing that monster is behind bars is the best feeling.
Now I’m a counsellor and want other victims to know that they can see their abusers punished and to never give up on getting justice.
I haven’t taken drugs for years and I barely drink. Dalton had me under his spell. He groomed me when I was 14. But finally I am free.
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