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From 1990 to 1998 I was an active ‘Born again’ Pentecostal Christian and Evangelist fully immersed in a religious life. I married my current wife and we had our first child.

After 2 years of obsessive bible study and training I was ordained as a Pastor and I ran a Church and Christian centre.

During this period, I was also employed as;

Church administrator.
Advertising and promotion manager for a national Christian magazine.
Managing Director for a national Christian helpline.
Editor of a commercial Christian magazine.

I also travelled as an evangelist in the UK, Ireland, Scotland, and Romania. I was part of a team that raised more than 1 million GBP for Romanian orphans and families.

I disclosed some details of my childhood abuse to my wife, and my congregation.

I no longer practice any religion. I am an atheist.

In 1996, I reported CSA crimes committed against myself and others to the Police and subsequently provided a witness statement that was submitted to the North Wales Child Abuse Tribunal of Inquiry.

The findings were published in February 2000, as ‘Lost in Care’ - The Waterhouse Report.

Google link:

Lost in Care - Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Abuse of Children in Care

The report stated: (1) Widespread sexual abuse of boys occurred in children's residential establishments in Clwyd between 1974 and 1990. (6) The most persistent offender in the Bryn Alyn Community was the original proprietor himself, John Ernest Allen, who was the subject of complaint by 28 former male residents and who was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in February 1995 for indecent assault on six former residents.

This first conviction did not include the offences I had reported to the Police.

In 1998, following another mental breakdown and my complete loss of faith in the church, I relocated with my family to Cumbria.

My wife and I have 4 children together and have lost 1 child through stillbirth.

In 2003 I declared myself bankrupt for the second time.

I have remained in Cumbria and have mostly been self-employed. My businesses activities have included;

Social Media Recruitment.
Website Design Services.
Business Consultancy Services.
Private Residential Childcare and Crisis Intervention.
Cooperative Enterprise Society Manager Director, & Shareholder.
Sub Postmaster.

I also worked for a Charity for 3 years as a leading Support Worker in acquired brain injury care services.

From 2012 to 2014 I assisted the National Crime Agency ‘Operation Pallial’ as a witness and victim of CSA crimes against myself and others.

I provided extended video recorded statements, written and photographic evidence, and assisted with identifying other Bryn Alyn Community victims and perpetrators.

In 2013, during pre-trial investigations, I set up an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) as a formal agreement to repay my creditors.

I asked my GP for mental health support and applied for direct payments from Cumbria County Council, under the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1966, for self-directed support for mental health.

I had self-educated and learned that my adverse childhood experiences had caused a complex psychological injury and not a mental illness or bi-polar condition as I had previously believed.

My research evidence for psychological injury, rather than mental illness, includes;

the cause is easily identifiable and verifiable, but often denied by those who are accountable.
the person is often articulate but prevented from articulation by being traumatised.
the person is obsessive, especially in relation to identifying the cause of their injury and both dealing with the cause and effecting their recovery.
the person is in a state of acute self-awareness and aware of their state, but often unable to explain it.
the depression is reactive; the chemistry is different to endogenous depression.
responds empathically to the needs and concerns of others, despite their own injury
heightened sense of vulnerability to possible victimisation (i.e. hypervigilance).
suicidal thoughts are often a logical and carefully thought-out solution or conclusion.
is driven by the anger of injustice.
refuses to be beaten, refuses to give up.

I subsequently received funding for;

Specialist psychotherapy and trauma support from Vicki Hastings, Clinical Psychologist, at the Cumbria Stress, and Trauma Centre. The treatment included CBT and EMDR.

Google search:

Cumbria Stress, and Trauma Centre

Unstructured Therapeutic Disclosure (UTD) and support counselling from Graham Wilmer MBE, Supervising Peer Support Counsellor, at the Lantern Project.

Google search:

The Lantern Project

I had 12 months’ support from Paul Kendal, NHS Mental Health Social Worker, at the Beacon Unit Penrith Hospital with ongoing GP support throughout the same period.

I was prescribed Zopiclone, Paroxetine Hydrochloride, Promethazine, and Mirtazapine to assist with the ongoing episodes of stress, anxiety, and depression.

I have received support from the National Crime Agency and Victim Support during the investigations and court process.

In December 2014 John Allen was found guilty and convicted of 33 offences; of which five offences were against me; one carried a life sentence and the other 4 carried 10 years’ imprisonment concurrent for each. Two further offences have been left on file with the NCA.

I have registered my eligibility, with the National Offender Management Service, to submit a Victim Impact Statement to a possible Parole Hearing for John Allen in 2028.

The presiding Judge, Mr. Justice Openshaw, an English judge of the High Court, Queen's Bench said: "There have no doubt been more prolific offenders but seldom can there be so many grave offences committed on so many victims over a long period, causing so much anguish and misery."

After sentencing, children's charity the NSPCC said “(John) Allen's reign of terror over a dark period of several decades puts him high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times".

NOTE:

Sir Charles Openshaw, known as The Hon. Mr Justice Openshaw, who is an English judge of the High Court, Queen's Bench, has imposed a reporting restrictions order under sections 86 to 90 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which guarantees my anonymity under law .

This means that I can tell you what happened to me if I choose to do so, but it is a criminal offence for you to tell a third party without my permission.

Following the conviction, Sky News invited me to participate in a televised interview to discuss my experience. This was done under strict anonymity and available to view.

Google search: Victims Describe Brutal Ordeal in Care System – Sky News

(The TV interview follows on after the advertisement)

In July 2015, I received Criminal Injuries Compensation. The award was made for the Sexual assault of a child for a period exceeding three years.

The award did not include mental health injury and they stated: ‘on the balance of probabilities, it is unlikely you will suffer a severely disabling permanent mental illness.’

I consider their statement as unqualified.