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Brave Child Abuse Victims Re-unite 30 Years Later to Stop Twisted Perv Teacher Being Removed from Sex Offenders’ Register

By Hannah Crouch
The Sun
February 23, 2017

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2938596/child-abuse-victims-catholic-teacher-re-unite-30-years-later-sex-offenders-register/

TWO mums who were sexually abused as children by the same man joined forces thirty years later to ensure their abuser remains on the sex offenders register.

Kate Taylor, 37, and Kerrie Jones, 35, were abused by their Catholic primary school teacher Gerard Kelly now 59, when they were just six years old.

Kerrie Jones and Kate Taylor were sexually abused as children by the same man and have joined forces thirty years later to ensure their abuser remains on the sex offenders register

School picture of Kate at around the time she was abused by Catholic primary school teacher Gerard Kelly

Archive image of Kerrie around the time she was abused

In February 1999, 14 years after the abuse took place, Kelly was convicted of indecent assault against seven underage schoolgirls – including Kate and Kerrie – and was sentenced to five years in prison at Doncaster Crown Court.

He was also ordered on to the sex offenders register for life.

Last year, Kate, an office manager, contacted the police to find out what had happened to her abuser, and discovered he had applied to come off the register following a law change in 2012 which allows sex abusers to apply to come off the register.

Kate contacted other victims who she met during the 1999 court case to make a case against his removal, and Kerrie agreed to help.

The pair united and launched a campaign to ensure he never came off the sex offenders register.

Now, the pair have waived their right to anonymity to encourage other victims of sex crimes to ‘keep track’ of their abusers and make sure ‘life means life’ when it comes to sex offenders staying on the register.

Kerrie, a hairdresser, said: “I want to protect other people and make them aware of this change.

“Any sex offender given life on the register should not have the human right to appeal, to have that hope that one day they will have freedom.

“These people should spend the rest of their lives on the register so people know they’re dangerous.”

Last year, Kate got in touch with the South Yorkshire Police to find out what had happened to Kelly.

She says: "I just had a weird feeling inside me and I wanted to know what had happened to him.

"That was when I discovered that he was still alive and had actually applied to come off the sex offenders register in August."

In 2012 the Supreme Court declared that convicted sex abusers were allowed the right to apply to be removed from the register after 15 years.

Disgusted, Kate got in contact with Kerrie on the phone at the salon where she works.

The pair had not see each other since testifying in court 17 years prior, but were united in their determination to prevent Kelly's name being removed.

To fight his application, they met a police liaison officer to express their discontent and offered statements - along with some of his other victims - outlining why his request should be rejected.

In December they were told that they had been successful and now Kelly will remain on the register indefinitely.

While battling for their 'justice' the pair tell how joining forces against their abuser brought them closer together and they've developed a close friendship.

 

 

 

 

 




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