BRISTOL OFFENDER CHRISTOPHER GIBSON SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF STEPDAUGHTER

In March 2014, Christopher Gibson was sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of ten counts of indecent assault against Jemma Sanders, a woman from Hartcliffe, Bristol. Gibson, who appeared to the outside world as the perfect stepfather, had taken Jemma and her two brothers to trips to Alton Towers, played games in the garden, and helped them walk their dog. However, behind this facade, Jemma was enduring a painful secret that she kept from her family.

From the age of nine until just before her sixteenth birthday, Jemma was sexually abused by Gibson, whom she considered her father. It wasn’t until she was 28 years old, 12 years after the abuse began, that she was finally able to speak openly about her experiences.

Despite Gibson’s conviction, Jemma’s mother, Debbie, refused to believe her daughter’s allegations, even after he was jailed. This was openly revealed during the court proceedings, where Debbie left the courtroom before Jemma’s victim impact statement was read.

Jemma has bravely chosen to waive her right to anonymity, sharing her story in hopes of encouraging other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

Gibson entered Jemma’s life when she was just one year old, following her parents' separation. Her mother and Gibson moved into a house in Withywood, and Jemma recalls her early childhood as uneventful. She always believed Gibson was her dad and appreciated the love and attention he showed her and her brothers.

Her first memory of inappropriate behavior was around age nine. Jemma explained, “I know now that he touched me inappropriately, but at the time I didn’t realize it was wrong. I thought he was my dad and felt loved. I remember thinking, ‘My daddy thinks I’m my mummy.’ Each incident made me think it was normal.” She added, “As I got older, the touching became more serious. When I learned about sex education at school, I realized it was wrong. He’d always told me it was ‘our little secret,’ and because he was gentle and non-violent, I didn’t understand it was harmful.”

By age 15, Jemma started avoiding being alone with Gibson. “He worked evenings and would come home just before I arrived back from spending time with friends. I would rush upstairs to avoid him, waiting for him to go to bed so I could come downstairs. I felt sick just thinking about it. Nearing my sixteenth birthday, I told myself it would stop then. After that, I turned into a ‘wild child,’ staying out late, drinking, and stealing cigarettes,” she recounted.

Jemma’s relationship with her boyfriend Shane Sanders, now her husband, also played a part in her life. She knew Shane from childhood, but her family disapproved of him. “I was never at home and acted rebellious,” she said. “Shane was sent to prison, and when he came out, we got together.” She also revealed that during a party, she consumed a lot of alcohol and confided in a friend about her stepfather’s abuse. This friend later provided evidence in Gibson’s trial.

In 2003, at age 17, Jemma finally decided to tell her mother about the abuse. She recalled, “I felt it was time to tell her. I went to her house and said, ‘Mum, I’ve got something to tell you.’ She asked if I was pregnant, and I said, ‘No, it’s worse than that. You’d better sit down.’ I explained what had happened, and she reacted badly, calling me all sorts of names and refusing to believe me.”

Jemma’s grandmother believed her but advised against pressing charges, fearing it would ruin the family. Subsequently, Jemma sank into depression, especially after her grandmother’s death. She relocated from her family home and moved in with her boyfriend, but they soon became homeless. Their circumstances later changed when they secured a council flat in Hartcliffe.

In January 2004, Jemma discovered she was pregnant, and her daughter Cleo-Leigh was born in September that year. Her second daughter, Ella-Jayne, followed two years later.

Jemma’s journey to justice began in November 2012 when she was approached by a police officer. Gibson’s name had been mentioned during a separate court case where he was not accused, leading a detective to suggest Jemma speak out. Detective Kerina Balchin visited her at home, where Jemma recorded a detailed video statement that took over four hours to complete due to the graphic nature of her testimony.

When Gibson was found guilty, Jemma described her shock: “I was in complete shock. After ten years of not being believed, I couldn’t believe someone finally did.” She expressed disappointment that her mother refused to hear her victim impact statement at the sentencing and has never truly listened to her story. “It’s the abuse that has broken our family, not me. I want my mum to understand that. I suffer from depression and PTSD, and although I’m upset about what this has done to my family, I know it wasn’t my fault. I was a child, and he was supposed to be my dad.”

Detective Constable Kerina Balchin praised Jemma’s bravery, saying, “The victim in this case has been extremely brave to waive her legal right to anonymity in order for her voice to be heard. I hope this conviction encourages victims of abuse to come forward, knowing they will be supported and that justice will be pursued.”