A VICTIM of a disgraced council leader has spoken for the first time about the abuse she suffered at his hands.

Dr George Lord's victim from the 1970s has spoken out publicly about her ordeal at the hands of a'controlling'and 'delusional' man when she was just a young teenager.

Dr George Lord, aged 79, was imprisoned for four years on April 3 for assaulting a 19-year-old employee of the council in 2010 and for indecently assaulting a teenage girl in the 1970s.

Lord groomed her and started abusing her at the age of 14 in 1977.

Now a grown woman, she has asked West Mercia Police to release a statement on her behalf explaining why she supported a prosecution and how she feels following Lord's sentence.

She said: "I finally plucked up the courage to report George Lord to the police after reading in the press about the complaints at the council.

"I wish to say that the police were incredibly supportive and at no point did I ever feel they doubted that I was telling the truth.

"Because the abuse happened over 30 years ago, I wrongly assumed they may not be interested, but I was so pleased that they took it just as seriously as the more recent case.

"The officers involved in the case were so caring towards me - I can't thank or praise them enough. The place where I was interviewed to recall my abuse is specially equipped, and is used by the police for vulnerable or intimidated victims, including child victims.

"On the wall there were some pictures that children had drawn which absolutely broke my heart.

"That made me really determined to go through the process as I felt that it would in a very small way send the message out that you can't treat people like this, no matter how important you think you are.

"I expect a lot of people will wonder why I didn't report George Lord all those years ago.

There are a number of reasons and I am sure other people who have had similar experiences will identify with this.

"I had a difficult childhood and had low self-esteem.

"I was being groomed; I was so naïve that I stupidly believed we were ‘in a relationship' and he enjoyed my company.

"Saying that, I knew deep down the relationship was wrong, but a child's mind works different to that of an adult and I just resigned myself to the situation.

"The memory of the control he had over me is the thing that upsets me most of all now.

"As I got older the reality started to sink in and then I just thought it was too late to go to the police.

"I also didn't realise that as a victim of sexual abuse you are protected by anonymity, so your name is not publicly reported in the press."

She added: "I really want to encourage other victims of abuse to take the plunge and come forward. Please don't be afraid to go to the police: they will know from experience when you are telling the truth.

"It took years before I managed to rebuild my self-esteem and confidence after the abuse and now that George Lord is in prison I feel like I finally have closure.

"Because George Lord pleaded guilty in the end, I did not have to give evidence, although a small part of me wanted to face him in court and tell everyone the disgusting things that man did to me.

"The details given in court cannot fully express the huge impact that the abuse had on aspects of my life.

"I feel empathy for the other victim who went through the difficulty of going to court and having the intimate details of her attack in the public domain.

"She is a legend as far as I am concerned and if it wasn't for her I would probably never have come forward.

"I note that George Lord referred to her as ‘delusional'. I would say that the only person who is delusional is George Lord himself.

"At the sentencing it was cringe-worthy to hear his barrister saying how he had been put forward for an MBE, adding that it probably wasn't any longer on the horizon. How arrogant. How unbelievable.

"When the judge passed sentence he summed up exactly how I felt about the whole thing - I really felt like justice had been done.

"I wish to say that whilst the crime had a very negative effect on many aspects of my life, I now have the happiest life anyone could ever have and despite what happened to me I feel I am very lucky.

"I get upset to think of others who have experienced similar or worse abuse that have never recovered. My heart goes out to them."

Extracts from her victim personal statement has also been released.

She said in the statement: "You portrayed yourself as a pillar of society. As a child I was deluded by your own delusions of self-importance.

"As I became older I saw you for what you really are: arrogant, manipulative, amoral, dishonest and dishonourable.

"You do not deserve the positions of public responsibility or the academic accolades you have held.

"The public have trust in people in positions of power and it is a heinous act to betray that trust.

"When I was young and naïve you abused your status. You did this for your own self-gratification with no thought or concern to the effect it would have on me. You said to me once ‘When you are older you will think all sorts of bad things about me'. How right you were.

"Integrity does not come from status, title or qualifications, it comes from trust, honour, humility and valuing other human beings.

"You have no integrity and are now left with the most appropriate status of all: that of a sex offender".

How To Get Help

• Anyone who wants to speak to West Mercia Police should call 101. (In an emergency always call 999.)

• Victim Support is available on 0845 126 4101 or victimsupport.org.uk/

• The Survivors Trust website is thesurvivorstrust.org/

• Worcestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WRSASC) can be contacted on 01905 724514. Their website address is wrsasc.org.uk/

• Herefordshire Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre (HRSASC) can be contacted on 0870 2422230. Their website address is hrsasc.org.uk/