Robert Gould victim speaks out - 'I helped jail 'disgusting' teacher who abused me. Why was he protected for all those years?'

Yesterday, Gould, 74, was found guilty of a series of vile sexual assaults on a string of youngsters under his care in the 1970s and 80s.

The South End Junior School teacher from Rushden will be sentenced for his crimes next month.

The real toll of his offending is unknown, with many new victims contacting our reporter since the trial began.

Many have told us about how Gould bullied children in his class, tried to humiliate them and threatened them with a slipper. Others have explained how they had complained to the headteacher, and nothing was done.

All the new victims have been urged to report the crimes to Northamptonshire Police.

The lead police officer in the case called the victims ‘the bravest men she’d ever met.’

During his trial, covered by the Northants Telegraph, the jury was told of his five convictions for indecent assault in 1988. One of those boys, who was just ten at the time, bravely reported what had happened to him and exposed Gould for what he was – a predatory paedophile who molested at least 19 victims.

His evidence was vital to help convict Gould once again.

Now, nearly four decades on, that boy tells his story and asks why Gould was able to work with vulnerable adults on his release. (Victims of sexual abuse have anonymity for life, so we’ll call him Henry.)

“Back in 1988 when I was 10, I was sexually abused one several occasions by Robert Gould,” said Henry.

"I was made to stand in court without my parents next to me and made out to be a liar.

"It was without a doubt the worst day of my life. This isn't even the half of it.

"Looking back now all, I can see is a big cover up, he was in with the church and the priest wrote him a letter of support to the court along with the headteacher.

"He received an extremely low sentence and when he came out, he was allowed to work with vulnerable adults. Something that my mum brought up with the police at the time only to be told there was nothing they could do.”

Henry says that he believes Gould had more victims who will never be able to speak out.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that there are many more victims out there unable to come forward,” he said.

“I have had to live with what he did for nearly 40 years. I'm unable to go into confined spaces and when I had children I spent every second scrutinising the school and the teachers.

"There is not a day goes by where I don't think about what happened to me, what he did to me, how he told me how special I was to try and keep me quiet while he was abusing me in the most awful ways.

“I'll never forget the way people in court looked at me, how teachers looked at me, like I’d made it all up. What 10-year-old would want to make up the most disgusting things imaginable?

“In May last year I had a knock at my door. It was two police ladies asking if I was the boy at the original trial, and did I go to South End..

"I immediately knew. I just said ‘Gould’? And she replied yes.

"I instantly felt sick to the stomach. They then told me all about the upcoming case, how many more people had come forward, people that felt unable to at the time.

"I was then told that virtually all records of what had happened to me had disappeared, no paper trail at all. How could this possibly be?

"The only reason the police had found me was through Facebook.

"Where has all the evidence gone from before?

"I was asked if I could tell them what had happened all them years ago. The worst thing being I actually remember it all like it was yesterday. I gave my statement and was told it would go to trial in January and if needed would I go to court to which I agreed.

"I'm not a scared little boy anymore.”

Henry said that he had been horrified by reading the accounts of what Gould’s victims had said in court.

“Reading the accounts of what happened to other boys in court the last two weeks was just like reading my own,” said Henry.

"The first day of reading it made me instantly sick and made me break down. I had to go home from work and get into bed.

“Robert Gould is a disgusting vile human who has managed to get away with being a serial abuser for too long.

"However he should not be the only one on trial, he was protected for far too long.

“No sentence will ever make up for what he done to me or anyone else, we have to live with those horrible memories every single day.

“He may of taken away part of my childhood but he will never take anything else. I'm lucky to have a great family and beautiful children and grandchildren and that is what I focus on every day. I really hope he rots in hell.”

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse you can talk to the police by calling 101 or via the online reporting tool here.

If you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse, but are not yet ready to speak to the police, visit Serenity’s website or call them on 01604 601713.

You can also visit www.voicenorthants.org or call Voice on 0300 303 1965.

Voice is a support service for anyone living in Northamptonshire. You don’t have to have reported anything to the police.