A SEXUAL abuse survivor has spoken of being raped as a child for the first time.

Patrick Mellsop has waived his legal right to anonymity as he says he wants to “break his silence” about the abuse he experienced at the age of 12 and 13.

The 32-year-old, from Worcestershire, said: “The lies stop here and I am breaking my silence. There are still people who do not believe me, but he was found guilty.

“What he did to me changed my life forever. Every day, I am suicidal because of what John Cooper did to me.”

Mr Mellsop was molested between August 1999 and August 2001, with the offences taking place in Kidderminster.

READ MORE: Man is jailed for rape of boy

READ MORE: Worcester businesses begin to prepare for Coronavirus

Midway through a trial, covered by the Worcester News in January 2004, Cooper dramatically confessed because he could not bring himself to watch a video of the victim’s police interview.

Cooper, who at the time he was jailed was 44, and of East Street, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape of a boy and three counts of gross indecency with a child. Cooper was jailed for six years by Judge Andrew Geddes who called him a threat to society.

Mr Mellsop said: “I could tell you every emotion of a rape survivor and I can honestly say, I am still not over it. It destroys a part of you, a part that you can never get back.

“This man was best friends with my uncle. He groomed my entire family into thinking he was a good man and a trusted friend of the family. Over the years I ignored my instincts that he was not a good person and decided to let him be a father figure.

“He started his abuse like playing fighting and saying stuff like ‘I bet you wouldn’t show me your private parts’.

“He went on to abuse and rape me over a period of three years.

“My foster mother helped me get him arrested and supported me through the court case. It is because of her support of believing me that John Cooper was sent to prison and now has to sign a register for life.

“This knowledge helps me, knowing he cannot do this to anyone else.

“After he got out of prison, I decided that I could not cope with living in the same area as my abuser. So, I moved to Manchester where I spent 10 years of my life. I went to university and worked in the NHS - something I thought I would never be able to do.

“However my past would always come out and it caused me to have a breakdown and I got a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.

“I have also tried to end my life on several occasions due to having flashbacks and genuinely having to live with what he did to me. It is something that I will not get over but I will get stronger.

“I had to move back to Kidderminster for family support. However, I am afraid to go out because I am living back in the area where my abuser is from. I should not be the one afraid of my own shadow – I am the survivor.

“My message to anyone who is going through this kind of trauma is that you are not alone and there are people out there who will believe you.

“I have learnt from counselling with a charity, Safeline, that supports male survivors, that suicidal ideation is normal response to trauma even years after the event.

“The lies stop today. It is not true he was set up, he now has to admit what he has done and live with the consequences of being a child rapist. The police officer that arrested John Cooper told me that I was the bravest person she interviewed. Something, I am thankful for.

“My message is you are not alone. He was an adult who took advantage of a vulnerable child. I am not to blame for his actions.”

If you are suffering with suicidal thoughts, you can contact Samaritans in confidence for free from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit.

Or you can email jo@samaritans.org or go to www.samaritans.org to find details of your local branch of Samaritans where you can talk to one of its volunteers face to face.