A VICTIM of sexual abuse is appealing to other people to end their torment by bringing their attackers to justice.
Ian Everett, 41, has spoken about his ordeal in the hope that other men will report sexual abuse, even if it happened years ago.
Mr Everett, a father-of-three, first reported his brother-in-law Terry Southwell to police a year ago after being encouraged to speak out by friends and family.
Southwell, 57, denied attacking Ian as a child but stood trial in Hull and was found guilty of sexual assault.
He has now been bailed until April when he will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court, but Ian and his partner Donna Atkin say they will not rest until he is brought to justice.
Ian said: "I was only a young boy when it happened and it's taken a lot of courage to report it.
"It has affected my relationship but Donna has always stood by me and I wouldn't have been able to do this if it wasn't for her support.
"Hopefully, people out there will see that, despite this happening to me years ago, the man has been found guilty."
Ian said he was threatened by Southwell to keep quiet after the attack in the 1980s.
"He told me he would drive me somewhere and nobody would ever see me again," Ian said.
"I have children and although my youngest doesn't understand, they know he is a very bad man and he did something horrible to me.
"As a result of my past, I've had blackouts and suffered with depression, which has affected family life.
"I will only really feel relief when my brother-in-law is sentenced for what he's done to me."
Ian gave his evidence in court from behind a screen and said he "broke down" as he struggled to cope with revealing what had happened to him during his childhood.
"He's an evil man and when he is sentenced I will feel a real sense of satisfaction. I want everyone to know what he's done," Ian said.
Donna called Southwell a "disgusting human being" who should not have been given bail after being found guilty, although it is not uncommon in cases involving historic crimes.
She said: "Ian deserves to have closure and we would like to appeal to others who may have been abused when they were younger to come forward and report it."
Support for sex abuse victims Support services for victims of sexual abuse include: • Victim Support, on 08453 030900. • Samaritans on 08457 909090 and 01482 323456.• Mankind Counselling on 01273 911680. • Hull and East Yorkshire Mind on 01482 240200.
