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'IT WENT ON AND ON'

Sex abuse victim waives her right to anonymity to tell how taxi driver sexually assaulted her on school run for TWO YEARS

Esther Hoad reported her abuser to police 40-years after the crimes

A BRAVE sex abuse victim assaulted by a taxi driver on her way to school for TWO YEARS has waived her right to anonymity to encourage other victims to come forward.

Esther Hoad was abused between the ages of 14 and 16 but it was not until 40-years later she felt able to go to police with her teenage diary, which detailed the attacks.

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Esther Hoad was abused as a schoolgirl - 40-years on she had the courage to come forwardCredit: Wales News Service
Cabbie Evan Jones, 71, was jailed for three years after being found guilty of four counts of indecent assaultCredit: Wales News Service

Cabbie Evan Jones, 71, has been jailed for three years after being found guilty of four counts of indecent assault.

A court heard how Esther suffered in a silence of "guilt and confusion" until she found the courage to report the driver who took her to school each day.

Jailing Jones for three years Judge Paul Thomas said: "You abused your position to take advantage of the situation."

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Jones was the school taxi driver and took children from their rural villages to the nearest bus stop in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, so they could journey on to their classes.

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Swansea Crown Court heard Esther was the last child to be dropped off.

During the journey Jones would grope and molest her in the taxi while saying "I love you".

Mother-of-two Esther waved her right to anonymity after the case to tell of her ordeal - and encourage other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

She said: "When the abuse first started I just felt wretched. I felt confused and guilty that I had somehow attracted all this unwanted attention to myself.

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"I cringed in the school taxi every time he touched me or spoke to me.

"My feelings were guilt and self-loathing, confusion and powerlessness for allowing this to happen to me.

"As an adult I now know that this was misplaced guilt, but as the child I was then, I felt I was to blame."

Esther approached police in 2014 after speaking to a therapist about her experiences.

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The court heard that Jones started by touching her leg, calling her "sweetheart" and saying he thought the world of her.

Esther said: "The first time he kissed me on the lips I was in absolute distress. He said: 'I love you'. I was hysterical.

"I went into the house and I was bawling my eyes out."

Esther has waived her right to anonymity to encourage other victims to come forwardCredit: Wales News Service
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Esther continued: "It was a dreadful time. The abuse went on and on and on and I thought it was my fault so I didn't tell anyone. I didn't know who to trust."

Esther, who has since married and moved to Ireland, didn't officially report Jones to the police until she was 52.

Now Esther is urging other sexual abuse victims to speak up and seek help.

She said: "I'm in a privileged position that it went to court and that it was successful and that he was found guilty.

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"He is in prison now where he no longer poses a threat to children and that is key.

"There is hope for anyone who has been abused. Forty years later I got justice in court and it is never too late to come forward.

"Keep telling people until you find someone who will listen and who will help.

"It doesn't matter how long ago it happened there's always the chance that you can get help."

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Esther's husband Joe, pictured, has praised the way police handled the caseCredit: Wales News Service

Esther's husband Joe was in court to see Jones finally brought to justice.

He said: "She'd always get pretty upset when she'd here of any other cases.

"We spoke about what happened very early on in our relationship and her now coming forward and speaking to the police was a very, very brave thing to do.

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"It took her 40 years to do it and anybody who's suffered this in their past really should think about it if they have the courage to go do it. The police have been so good and all the way through it they were very supportive."

Det Con Lee Davies, the officer in charge of the investigation, said: ";The sentencing of Jones is a significant result for Dyfed-Powys Police and also the victim of these abhorrent crimes.

"I am pleased that justice has been served 40 years after the crimes were committed.

"The impact of this abuse has had a lasting and damaging effect on the victim. It has taken great courage for her to come forward and to stand before a judge and jury to provide her evidence.

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"I applaud her for finding the confidence to come forward to ensure the man that sexually abused her as a teenager was convicted.

"I hope this outcome gives other victims of historical sexual abuse confidence that convictions are possible and if they find the confidence to report the offences to Dyfed-Powys Police we will carry out a thorough and detailed investigation to bring others to justice."

Jones, of Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, will also be placed on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life.


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