Update: Both brothers have now been released. Kevin now lives in Lowestoft in Suffolk while Robert lives in Peterborough in Cambridgeshire

April 2008

Speaking out: the sister raped by her brothers

The woman repeatedly raped by two of her brothers 30 years ago has spoken out about her years of torment and their eventual conviction.

Alison, now 38, said she wants to help other women come forward after her brothers, 44-year-old Robert Whitlock and Kevin Whitlock, 41, were last month jailed for five years.

The identity of victims of sex crimes is automatically protected by law and until now Alison’s identity has been strictly confidential, as has that of her brothers, but she has agreed to waive her anonymity to tell her story and hopefully persuade other victims of abuse to come forward and report it to police.

They were found guilty of four counts of rape and multiple rape over a period of time at Luton Crown Court earlier this year.

Alison, the youngest of 11 children in what the judge called a ‘dysfunctional family’, was seven when the horrific attacks began.

She was raped by Robert, then aged 14, around 100 times while their parents were out at weekends.

This ordeal continued for three years, almost becoming a routine, until he left the Luton family home aged 17.

Meanwhile another brother, Kevin, began raping her when she was 11, at least 100 times during a three year period.

During seven years of her childhood she endured the attacks before she left home aged 15, having moved from Luton to Lowestoft a year earlier.

However it was not until 2005 that Alison reported the crime and an investigation by Bedfordshire Police began.

She said: “The turning point was when one of my other brothers was getting married.

“The two brothers were going so my husband went to see them and said he didn’t think it was fair. When he went round a fight broke out and they reported my husband for assault.

“When the police came round to arrest my husband I broke down – that was when the truth came out.

“The police officer at the time said that it wasn’t too late to report. It was so many years ago that I thought it was too late.” 

Having recently emigrated to Europe – she does not want her family to know precisely where – the mother-of-four is starting up a property developing company with her husband of 22 years, Phil.

Yet her life has been tainted by what happened to her as a child.

“I had so much psychological damage and found it hard to trust people,” she said.

“I was wary of men and too scared to go out on my own. I only leave my house when I’m with my husband or children.

“I’m still wary of men even though I’m in a different country.” 

The successful conviction of her two brothers was an ‘immense relief’ after the ten day trial, during which Alison bravely chose to give detailed evidence in person rather than by video link.

But the outcome has been marred by the fact that her family – her mother, father and all siblings except one brother and one sister – have disowned her.

“In some ways my family have become worse after the trial,” she added.

“They have sent me horrible emails saying I’m a liar and putting me down.” 

She has the ‘same feeling’ towards the brothers, who must register as sex offenders for the rest of their lives, as she did 30 years ago.

“As the judge said, they had no remorse and the lack of remorse was the worst bit for me. They are still denying it,” she added.

“I just can’t understand how they are still denying it. I was half hoping that by reporting it they would admit it.” 

In fact their mother first reported to the police that her daughter was being abused by her son in 1977.

“It was when my older brother started abusing me,” she said.

“My mum called the police and they – in those days it was the local bobby on the beat – came round,” she said.

“He took my brother to one side and had a word. I never spoke to the officer.

“A few weeks later my brother told me a story that if I told anyone what happened he would go to prison and I would go to a children’s home and I would never see my family again.

“I was too scared to say anything after that.” She added that she would urge anyone in a similar situation to go to the police.

“It doesn’t matter how long ago it was,” she said.

“The police have been absolutely brilliant – given so much help and support along the way.

“Even through the court process I was really looked after by witness protection.

“When we were in court my police officer said if only more people knew you had a successful outcome then more would come forward.” 

A spokeswoman for Bedfordshire Police said: “We do have a specialist officer working in the vulnerable witness team specially trained to deal with people who have been sexually abused whether it is in a home environment or by someone they don’t know.

“We have also a special interview room where this is dealt with sympathetically.

“We encourage anybody who has experienced this type of crime to come forward and speak to us on 01234 841212.”