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TEEN SPEAKS OUT AFTER
ABUSIVE FATHER JAILEDBrave 18-year-old tells story in hope other victims will seek help
Exclusive
Dave Comeau
dave.comeau@essnmedia.co.uk
A TEENAGER has told how she
was subjected to years of sexual
abuse by her own dad – after
seeing him jailed for ten years.
Georgia Shelley-Bell was
abused between the ages of 10 and
13 by Andrew Simpson, who
would put on Disney films while
carrying out his sickening
attacks.
Now aged 18, she has bravely
decided to waive her right to
anonymity in the hope her story
will encourage other victims of
such abuse to seek help.
Last Wednesday, Simpson, 46,
was sentenced for his crimes at
Hove Crown Court.
Georgia, who lives with her
mum Jo in Broadfield, says the
vile attacks have left her angry at
everyone, distrustful of all men
and scared of the dark.
She added that she has tried to
take her own life a number of
times.
“I lost my childhood, my inno-
cence, because of him,” she said.
“He made me depressed, over-
weight and lonely, but I am so
much more than he will ever be.”
Georgia is relieved a long sen-
tence was given, but says it has
done little to ease her pain.
New Reds boss
RICHIE Barker was expected to be
confirmed as Crawley Town’s new
manager as the News went to press
yesterday afternoon.
Back page
Tragic death
A CRAWLEY student is thought to
have jumped off Beachy Head
after becoming stressed at
university, an inquest has heard.
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She said: “I know that he can’t
hurt anyone else but him being in
jail does not change what he did to
me.
Suffered
“He still has a life, even in pris-
on. I don’t. I no longer have his
name; he is no longer legally my
father. He is nothing to me other
than the man who abused me.”
For years Georgia suffered in
silence, afraid that no one would
believe her.
The abuse first came to light in
2007 when Georgia told her step-
father she had been touched over
her clothes by Simpson.
However, she did not reveal the
Page 12
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full extent of her ordeal and asked
for charges not to be brought.
In 2010, she finally found the
strength to reveal what had really
been happening, first to her boy-
friend, then during counselling.
Last week she was able to stand
up in court, look Simpson in the
eye and tell him how he had
ruined her life. He pleaded guilty
to four charges of sexual assault
by penetration.
Georgia hopes she has given
other victims the confidence to
speak out.
She said: “I just hope if
someone else is experiencing
what I went through they will see
this and it will give them the
courage to say something.
“I realise now that my family
is the best support I can get and
I would say to anyone going
through the same thing to trust
those who love you. Don’t push
them away.”
I Full story page 2
COURAGE: Georgia
Shelley-Bell has bravely
spoken out after her
father was jailed for
sexually abusing her
Picture by Arthur O’Hara
SICK: Andrew Simpson was jailed
for ten years
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