Teenager who would sleep under the bed to hide from her stepfather who abused her from the age of 11 reveals how he was finally caught when her mother walked in on him raping her
- Courtney Oldland, 18, from Portsmouth, was abused by Johnathon Oldland, 34
- Sick paedophile would prey on her at their home while her mother was at work
- Courtney slept under her bed in the hope Oldland wouldn’t find her and rape her
- He got 17 years after sexual assault and rape of a child conviction in March 2017
A teenager who was abused by her stepdad for four years from the age of 11 has revealed how her ordeal only ended after her mother caught him in the act.
Courtney Oldland, now 18, from Portsmouth, who has waived her right to anonymity, told Femail that she saw Johnathon Oldland as a father figure after her mother started a relationship with him when she was a baby.
But when Courtney’s mum began working evening shifts at their local newsagents, leaving her in her stepfather’s care for three nights a week, he began sexually assaulting her.
Six months later, he raped her when she came home from a friend’s house, and the abuse continued for four years, with Courtney too terrified to confide in anyone about what she was going through.
She admitted she used to sleep under the bed in the hope Oldland wouldn’t find her – but he always did, and would drag her from her hiding place and assault her.
Courtney finally opened up to the police about her ordeal after her mum caught Oldland pulling up his trousers, having raped her in the living room.
Johnathon Oldland, then 34, of Hilsea Market, Hilsea, was convicted of five rapes, two sex assaults, and one count of sexual activity with a child at Portsmouth Crown Court in March 2017. He was sentenced to 17 years behind bars and placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Oldland (pictured left) abused Courtney (middle) for four years, leaving her too terrified to confide in anyone about what she was going through. He was only caught when her mother (right) walked in just after he’d raped her in the family home
Courtney Oldland, pictured age 14, from Portsmouth, looked on Johnathon Oldland as a father figure after her mother started up a relationship with him when she was a baby
Courtney, 18, pictured with her partner and two children, said that it’s a huge relief her stepfather is now behind bars, enabling her to try to move on with her life
Now a mother herself, Courtney told how she loved her ‘cosy, normal’ upbringing and ‘loved’ the man she called Dad.
Courtney, who has never met her biological father, said: ‘When Mum behaved as if Johnathon was my real father, I didn’t question it – I didn’t want to.
‘At first I used to look forward to Mum going off to work. Dad would let me watch films and stay up late before bed.
‘But as I got older, he became strict and controlling, snapping at me not to be late. If I arrived a minute after he asked for me to be home from school, he’d be waiting for me at the door and would beat me.
Courtney, pictured now with her partner, finally opened up to the police about her ordeal after her mum caught Oldland pulling up his trousers after raping her in the living room
Having been caught in the act, Courtney, pictured with her partner and two children, told how Oldland went on to claim their ‘relationship’ was consensual – but thankfully a jury saw through him
‘Sometimes, if I put a foot wrong in the house or was late home from a playdate at a friend’s house, he’d hurl the X-Box at me – or worse, the entire television screen.’
One night Courtney recalled how Oldland ushered her into his room. She expected they were going in there to watch her favourite TV show – but Oldland had other ideas as he told her to lie down next to him.
She explained: ‘Dad was staring at me and I started to feel uncomfortable. Then he reached out for my hand and placed it on his crotch.
‘I snatched it away, confused, but he grabbed it again, this time a lot rougher, and pulled down his trousers and moved my hand over his private parts.
‘I froze, terrified, then Dad shoved his hands down my trousers too.’
Afterwards Courtney said Oldland acted like nothing had happened, and she prayed it was a one-off. But a few nights later he struck again.
Courtney looked on Oldland as her real father and never met her biological dad
Courtney, pictured with her partner and son, said she didn’t question that Oldland was her father when her mother behaved that way
Fearing things couldn’t get any worse, six months later Oldland raped her for the first time.
‘Pain tore through me,’ Courtney recalled. ‘I was just a child and I was too small to fight him off, though it didn’t stop me trying.’
One night she yelled at Oldland to leave her alone and slammed his arm in a door, breaking his wrist.
She said: ‘I thought Dad was going to kill me that night. When he threatened to hurt Mum and all my family, I was scared into silence.’
His systematic sex attacks continued for four years until one morning, Oldland pounced on her in the living room.
Courtney, pictured now with her son, is trying to rebuild her life and focus on her own children
Family time: Courtney is happy with her partner and their two children, and said she’s also managed to improve her relationship with her mother
‘He must have grown complacent because Mum wasn’t out at work, and he didn’t waste any time,’ Courtney said.
‘He raped me and was just scrabbling to pull his jeans up when Mum walked into the room. She screamed and Dad looked like he’d seen a ghost.
‘He tried to tell her nothing was going on, and I remember my heart pounded when I saw the look of shock and hurt in Mum’s eyes as tears streamed down her face.
One in 20 children have been sexually abused in the UK
More than three quarters of the children abused in the UK keep quiet about it.
Of the children that are sexually abused, more than eight out of 10 know their abuser.
If you believe a child is in imminent danger, dial 999.
The NSPCC charity is also on hand, with trained counsellors to guide you through the best course of action. You can call them free on 0808 800 5000.
Children looking for counselling and support can contact Childline on 0800 1111, or send them a message on their website, childline.org.uk.
‘She pulled him outside and slammed our balcony door, so I couldn’t hear them arguing. In that moment I decided it was time for this to stop.’
Courtney grabbed a notepad from her school bag and wrote down all the abuse she had suffered for years. Her mother kicked Oldland out, but she and her mum didn’t speak about the abuse.
The following day Courtney stopped at the local police station on her way to school and tried to leave her notes at the front desk, where she was stopped by a police officer.
Struck by his kind, gentle voice, Courtney broke down and told him everything that had happened. Later that day Oldland was arrested while at work.
Courtney said: ‘Officers found him with a bag of used condoms. After Mum had caught him with me the day before, he must have known he was in trouble and was trying to destroy the evidence.
‘But when DNA tests on the condoms matched to both me and him, Dad had signed his own death warrant.’
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Oldland still denied the charges and claimed their relationship was consensual, forcing Courtney to testify against him in court.
Courtney, pictured with her son, was forced to testify against Oldland in court, after he denied the charges
Now the brave mum, pictured with her young son, is moving on with her life with Oldland behind bars
He went so far as to claim that Courtney’s mother was ‘in on it’, and had planted the DNA on the condoms.
But the jury unanimously found him guilty of sexual assault and the rape of a child.
Courtney said: ‘Now, I’m glad that monster is behind bars where he belongs and I’m moving on.
‘Mum and I are closer, and she’s sorry she didn’t realise what was happening, but I understand why she didn’t suspect – Johnathon was so clever and manipulative.’
Source: Read Full Article