BRIAN MOWBRAY'S SHOCKING REVELATION IN DURHAM: A VICTIM'S LONG ROAD TO HEALING

In October 2015, a deeply personal and harrowing story emerged from Durham, revealing the long-lasting impact of childhood abuse and the complex journey towards forgiveness and recovery.

Laura Coel, a woman from Morpeth, Northumberland, bravely shared her painful experience of being sexually abused by her stepfather, Brian Mowbray, starting from the age of just eight. The abuse began shortly after her parents' divorce, when Mowbray moved into her family home. Shockingly, he told Laura she was his "girlfriend," and over the course of six years, she endured daily assaults that she describes as becoming an inescapable part of her life.

Laura recounted that the abuse was so pervasive that she believed they were having an affair and that they would run away together to get married. The trauma culminated on Christmas Day, when she was assaulted in front of her relatives as they sat down to eat dinner, an event that left a lasting scar.

Her suffering did not end with the physical abuse. The psychological aftermath severely affected her mental health. She developed eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, began self-harming by cutting her arms, and left college at 19 due to her declining health. At her lowest point, she attempted to take her own life with an overdose, which finally prompted her to seek help from the authorities.

Mowbray was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to ten years in prison at Durham Crown Court. However, he served only four years of his sentence. Despite his incarceration, Laura struggled with the fear of encountering him once he was released, haunted by the memories and the potential threat he posed.

Fast forward to recent years, Laura, now a mother of two young children, Marley and Lola, decided to confront her past head-on. She chose to participate in a restorative justice process facilitated by the Restorative Justice Council, an organization dedicated to helping victims of crime find closure and move forward. After nearly a year of meticulous planning, a meeting was arranged at a probation service office in Gateshead, marking a historic moment as it was the first time in the Council’s history that a victim of sexual assault sat face-to-face with her attacker to express her feelings.

During this unprecedented encounter, Laura revealed that she had still harbored feelings of love for Mowbray, her stepfather, and wanted to say goodbye to that part of her past. She explained, “I’d loved him as a stepdad, and I wanted to say goodbye to the part of him I’d loved. He was part of our family.” The meeting proved to be a turning point for her, as she realized she was no longer a victim but a survivor.

She described Mowbray as appearing weak and diminished, “He seemed half the man he’d been before,” she said. In contrast, Laura felt a newfound strength and control over her life. She emphasized the importance of asserting that, although her childhood was marred by his actions, she was determined not to let him ruin her future. “It felt good to be able to say that,” she added.

The emotional exchange culminated in Mowbray breaking down and leaving the room, overwhelmed by the confrontation. Laura shared that she told him she had moved on and that her forgiveness was for her own peace, not for him. “He couldn’t understand why I’d want to forgive him,” she recalled, “but I told him I’d done it for myself.”

Today, Laura is a successful singer and has been in a stable relationship with her partner, Ashley Sage, for ten years. She is also a proud mother to her two young daughters, Lola and Marley. Her dark days of suffering and trauma are now firmly behind her, as is the presence of Brian Mowbray in her life. She states that if she were to encounter him on the street now, she would simply nod, as he no longer holds any power over her. “I don’t have that fear anymore,” she affirmed, signifying her journey from victim to survivor and her ongoing commitment to healing.