The victim of a paedophile teacher says she felt like a 'weight was lifted from her shoulders' when she saw her tormentor finally jailed for the abuse which ruined her childhood.
Angela Taylor, now 50, was just one of many nine and 10-year-old children targeted by Ronald Wotton on a daily basis at East Durham Catholic primary school between 1968 and 1980.
She went to police in the wake of the Jimmy Savile revelations after telling herself she couldn't take the truth about her abuse to the grave.
Ms Taylor has now waived her anonymity to tell how the abuse affected her life and of her relief at seeing Wotton convicted and sent to jail.
During her school days, Wotton would catch Angela's eye during lessons, call her up to the front of the class and make her stand behind his desk while he sexually abused her.
Children were so afraid of the teacher, they would make themselves vomit by pouring washing up liquid down their throats to avoid his classes.
Wotton, now 73, was finally reported over thirty years later in 2013 when Ms Taylor read about allegations of child abuse committed by Jimmy Savile and rang police.
Her complaint was the first and started off a huge police investigation which led to 20 other victims coming forward.
During his sentencing on November 5 last year, Teesside Crown Court heard that Wotton was a bully who had an obsession with authority and abused children for his own sexual gratification.
The court heard how Wotton's offending extended to PE lessons, where he would make children touch their toes so he could look at them, as well as wandering into their changing rooms during swimming lessons, in the hope of seeing them naked.
Wotton, who now uses a wheelchair, admitted 17 counts of indecent assault, three counts of indecency with a male and one of indecency with a child over a 12-year period from the late 1960s and was jailed for five years.
Angela, of Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, said: 'I was terrified of Ronald, he was an evil bully and he ruined my childhood as well as many other people's lives.
'I came from a devout Catholic family, my mother was a teacher and I was made to feel as though God was punishing me for something I had done wrong.
'In Year 5, the year I went into Ronald's class, it was common knowledge that something bad was going to happen to us and we were all afraid.
'I couldn't confide in any of my family and he was just getting away with abusing us - I feel completely let down by the school and my religion.
Ms Taylor, pictured aged nine in 1973, says the abuse she suffered at the hands of her teacher has impacted her whole life
'I feel as though he has made me the adult I am today, I've found it hard to trust men and be the best mother I can be because of him.'
As a child, Ms Taylor was shy and grew to hate school because of Wotton's abuse.
She would often feign illness and beg not to attend because she was scared of being abused by him again.
She became depressed when she went to secondary school and hid the abuse for 40 years.
She finally called the police to report him in July 2013.
Ms Taylor, who is now training to become a chiropodist, said: 'I was sitting watching the news about Jimmy Saville and Stuart Hall and I thought - I cannot die with this sordid secret.
'When I rang the police I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
'I had carried guilt and shame around for years because I felt I was to blame. I lost my childhood and part of myself. It did a lot of damage.
'It feels good to know that my actions have inspired others to come forward and report him as well.
'I was prepared to stand up and look him in the eye to tell everyone what he did to me. He is an evil, disgusting human being.
'Five years is not long enough for the suffering he caused to hundreds of innocent children like me, but I am now glad he is in jail, paying for his crime and I can finally move on.
'I only hope my story can persuade others to be brave and stand up to people like him so they can be brought to justice.
'There is a lot of help available from Victim Support and Rape Crisis. Having a safe place to talk everything through really makes a big difference.
'It is not an easy path but you come out of it feeling stronger.'
Bless you for your courage and determination, Angela. You have helped a lot of other survivors.
Angela Taylor, now 50, was just one of many nine and 10-year-old children targeted by Ronald Wotton on a daily basis at East Durham Catholic primary school between 1968 and 1980.
She went to police in the wake of the Jimmy Savile revelations after telling herself she couldn't take the truth about her abuse to the grave.
Ms Taylor has now waived her anonymity to tell how the abuse affected her life and of her relief at seeing Wotton convicted and sent to jail.
Today's hero
 |
| Angela Taylor was one of a number of pupils targeted by a paedophile teacher in the 1960s and 70s. She has waived her anonymity to tell of the impact the abuse had on her life and of her relief at seeing him jailed |
Children were so afraid of the teacher, they would make themselves vomit by pouring washing up liquid down their throats to avoid his classes.
Wotton, now 73, was finally reported over thirty years later in 2013 when Ms Taylor read about allegations of child abuse committed by Jimmy Savile and rang police.
Her complaint was the first and started off a huge police investigation which led to 20 other victims coming forward.
During his sentencing on November 5 last year, Teesside Crown Court heard that Wotton was a bully who had an obsession with authority and abused children for his own sexual gratification.
The court heard how Wotton's offending extended to PE lessons, where he would make children touch their toes so he could look at them, as well as wandering into their changing rooms during swimming lessons, in the hope of seeing them naked.
Wotton, who now uses a wheelchair, admitted 17 counts of indecent assault, three counts of indecency with a male and one of indecency with a child over a 12-year period from the late 1960s and was jailed for five years.
Today's Scumbag
 |
| Ronald Wotton's victim described him as an 'evil bully' who wrecked the childhoods of his pupils |
'I came from a devout Catholic family, my mother was a teacher and I was made to feel as though God was punishing me for something I had done wrong.
'In Year 5, the year I went into Ronald's class, it was common knowledge that something bad was going to happen to us and we were all afraid.
'I couldn't confide in any of my family and he was just getting away with abusing us - I feel completely let down by the school and my religion.
'I feel as though he has made me the adult I am today, I've found it hard to trust men and be the best mother I can be because of him.'
As a child, Ms Taylor was shy and grew to hate school because of Wotton's abuse.
She would often feign illness and beg not to attend because she was scared of being abused by him again.
She became depressed when she went to secondary school and hid the abuse for 40 years.
She finally called the police to report him in July 2013.
Ms Taylor, who is now training to become a chiropodist, said: 'I was sitting watching the news about Jimmy Saville and Stuart Hall and I thought - I cannot die with this sordid secret.
'When I rang the police I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
'I had carried guilt and shame around for years because I felt I was to blame. I lost my childhood and part of myself. It did a lot of damage.
'It feels good to know that my actions have inspired others to come forward and report him as well.
'I was prepared to stand up and look him in the eye to tell everyone what he did to me. He is an evil, disgusting human being.
'Five years is not long enough for the suffering he caused to hundreds of innocent children like me, but I am now glad he is in jail, paying for his crime and I can finally move on.
'I only hope my story can persuade others to be brave and stand up to people like him so they can be brought to justice.
'There is a lot of help available from Victim Support and Rape Crisis. Having a safe place to talk everything through really makes a big difference.
'It is not an easy path but you come out of it feeling stronger.'
Bless you for your courage and determination, Angela. You have helped a lot of other survivors.
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