LESLEY CONNELL SENTENCED IN NELSON FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE VICTIM'S COURAGEOUS TESTIMONY
In August 2007, a woman who endured prolonged sexual abuse as a child shared her heartfelt journey of resilience and her determination to help others speak out against their abusers.Her ordeal involved repeated assaults by Leslie Connell, a 78-year-old man from Nelson, who subjected her to his abuse over a span of eleven years.
Following the conclusion of the court proceedings, the woman expressed a mixture of relief and trauma upon hearing that Connell had been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
She recounted the emotional moment when the sentence was announced, stating, "The sheer terror on his face will haunt me forever.
It was the most traumatic experience I’ve been through." She described her feelings of relief but also the pain of having to face him one last time in court.
"I was relieved but at the same time I had to look at him just one last time.
I wish I hadn’t done it because the look on his face killed me, not because I felt sympathetic or sad, but I did it because I knew it was going to be the last time I ever saw him," she explained.
She further shared that during the sentencing, her mother nearly collapsed from the emotional strain, mirroring her own feelings of shock and distress.
She had anticipated a less severe punishment, perhaps a community order, given Connell’s age, but was grateful to the court, police, and prosecutor for their efforts.
"I really would like to thank the court and the police for what they’ve done, and the prosecutor was a star," she said.
Prior to entering the courtroom, she noticed Connell nearby.
She described her initial reaction: "When I first walked in, I couldn’t see him, and my mum told me to just walk forward and sit down.
In the middle of the room, I burst out crying and walked to the top of the corridor.
I was showing him that I was still under his control, and my mum told me to sit down, so I sat with my back towards him." Reflecting on her realization of the abuse, she revealed that it was only after watching a television program about sexual abuse that she understood what had happened to her.
However, she admitted she was too afraid to report it to the police at the time.
Now, still grappling with the emotional scars of her past, she expressed her hope to write a book or deliver talks to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and her personal experience with Connell.
"I hope I can put it behind me, but I know it’s not going to happen overnight.
It’s one step at a time," she said.
Despite ongoing depression, she emphasized her resilience: "I still feel the same, but I don’t think about killing myself or harming myself anymore.
I’m still severely depressed and I can’t work, and I still drink a lot.
It’s not going to change overnight." Her primary goal now is to advocate for child protection and encourage others to speak out.
"I’m hoping to raise awareness because something needs to be done to protect children.
Whether it’s fundraising, writing a book, or giving speeches, I want to bring this issue to people’s attention," she stated.
She also urged young victims not to remain silent, emphasizing, "When I was that young, I wasn’t aware of anybody to go to.
You don’t feel like you can go to your parents because you think they won’t believe you.
Kids make things up sometimes, but I’d tell people to tell anybody they trust—teachers, doctors, anyone—because these things do happen and they need to be believed."
