'I Was Raped by My Grandfather' - Woman, 18, Reveals How She Was Abused From the Age of Five

A teenage woman has told how she is finally able to rebuild her life after being raped at the hands of her own grandfather - who forced her to examine him intimately with a torch. The pensioner was described as being like 'a child in a sweet shop' as he repeatedly assaulted his granddaughter when she was staying at his home.

Alen Burrows, 64, who was jailed for 17 years over the abuse, would force Charlotte, who did not want to use her real name, to use a torch to examine him under the covers.

It was this perversion which came back to haunt him when Charlotte testified in court last year.

The 18-year-old from Southport, Merseyside, said: 'When I was young, I thought it was normal. I thought it happened with every grandpa.

'He would tell me this was what he did to me was normal. It makes me sick.

'For five years it went on and I was just too scared to say anything. I was so scared my granny and parents wouldn’t believe me.'

The abuse started when, aged five, Charlotte would regularly stay at her grandparents’ house.

She said: 'I had dance lessons on Saturdays so I stayed over at granny and grandpa’s house the night before because they lived much closer to the studio than we did.

'I was really close with them both but granny worked nights as a carer. So me and grandpa would sit and watch television together.

Alen Burrows, left, was charged with more than 20 sexual offences but denied them all. Charlotte was cross-examined in court from behind a screen and was able to describe details of his body to jurors

'We were on the sofa together watching Fantasia when grandpa began tickling my tummy and legs. I giggled but then he sexually assaulted me and I froze.

'I was too young to know what he was doing but I didn’t like it. He acted so normally afterwards I wasn’t sure if I imagined it.'

But when Charlotte stayed at her grandfather’s house on Friday nights, the abuse continued weekly and two years later, he raped her.

She said: 'I’ve blocked out so much about that horrible night, the pain and what he said to me. It was disgusting.

'I was powerless and just didn’t know what to do. He convinced me it was normal for so long.

'It wasn’t until we were taught about sex in school, I realised what was going on was wrong.'

On a caravan holiday in Wales when Charlotte was aged 10, she fought back.

'He tried to rape me but I screamed, pushing him away. It was the first time I’d fought back. He looked shocked and backed away from me.

'The next morning, I decided that was it. I threatened him saying I’d go to police. But he told me that no one would believe me and that he’d say I wanted it.

'I believed him so I just made excuses not to stay there anymore.'

Charlotte became withdrawn because of her abuse. When she met her first boyfriend aged 14, she felt able to tell him the truth. He encouraged Charlotte to tell her mother what she’d been through.

She said: 'It took four months to pluck up the courage. The day after I turned 15, I sat mum down to tell her.

'We cried together and told dad, who was working abroad and he flew back home. They were so supportive and believed me straight away.'

Her parents took her to Southport police station for a medical exam.

Alen Burrows, of Lydiate, west Lancashire, was charged with more than 20 sexual offences but denied them all. Charlotte was cross-examined in court from behind a screen and was able to describe intimate details of his body to jurors.

In January 2014, Burrows was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of rape, attempted rape, six indecent assaults and more than a dozen charges of indecency with a child.

He was jailed for 17 years, put on the sex offenders register and barred from having contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Charlotte is rebuilding her life and has applied to study nursing at university this year.

She said: 'I feel proud that I never gave up on justice. I’m still living with mum and dad and I feel closer to them than ever.

'I’m telling my story to show other young girls that they shouldn’t keep abuse secret.

'I’m proof you can get justice.' (Dailymail)