Brave victims tell of lifelong trauma caused by abuse from Christopher Symes

Following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court, Christopher Symes was found guilty by a jury on November 10 of eight counts of indecent assault, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The 58-year-old, of Lorne Road, Dorchester, had already pleaded guilty to six other charges, including three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual assault and one count of taking indecent photographs of a child.

All of the offences took place between 1984 to 2012.

Christopher Symes. Picture: Dorset Police

The victim personal statements from all five women who had been abused as children by Symes, and who cannot be named for legal reasons, were heard at a sentencing hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday.

One woman bravely read out her own victim personal statement to the court from the witness box.

She said: "Whilst you Christopher Symes have been able to live your carefree life being able to do what you like, to do what you want, life for me has never been carefree because of what you have done to me.

"I was a 14-year-old vulnerable child.

"You were put in a position of trust which you abused."

She said that she had suffered with mental health issues most of her life, including PTSD, agoraphobia, panic attacks and severe anxiety and said that Symes was part of the reason she tried to take her life and called him 'despicable'.

She described her anguish at being put through a court case and having to describe the 'disgusting things' Symes did to her in front of strangers and to be accused of lying.

In a statement read out to court by prosecuting, Timothy Bradbury, another victim said she had been left with low self-esteem for as long as she could remember.

She said she has always had issues trusting people as a result and was unable to trust anyone to look after her children when they were younger and said that going to court was one of the hardest things she has had to do.

She said: "I'm truly sorry to the others who would not have gone through what I had gone through if I had spoken out earlier." Another victim statement was read out by Mr Bradbury. She said she felt Symes abuse had caused her to become 'emotionally stunted' and felt that he had 'stolen a big part' of her which stopped her from being able to connect with people.

She said: "I should have come forward sooner instead of shying away from it."

Judge Robert Pawson reassured the victims that they had no reason to feel guilty for anything that had happened to them.

He said: "The only person whose fault it is is Mr Symes."

Another victim said Symes' behaviour left her feeling 'completely violated'.

She said: "I originally made my statement in 2006 which was hard enough and I had to go through it all again when it was reopened.

"I am sure I still need counselling.

"I do not deserve to feel the way I feel especially from a man who I trusted."

Another statement from a victim said: "He stole my innocence from me.

"I am determined not to let what has happened define me and I hope now that the case is over I can move on with my life."

Defending, Ellie Fargin, said that Symes lived with his parents, providing them and his brother assistance and had expressed concerns about not being able to look after them whilst in custody.

She said Symes had done 42 consecutive years of hard work and and since 2017 when these offences were reported there had been no offending from Symes.

Judge Pawson said he could not pass a sentence to Symes this afternoon and needed more time to reflect on the case and said he would instead pass a sentence on Tuesday, December 21.

He said: "It is not a straight forward case.

"To those of you who have lived with this for years, I am sorry you are not going to hear the sentence this afternoon.

"I apologise, but I have to do this case proper justice.

"You have been waiting years and unfortunately you will have to wait another few days."