An abuse survivor slept with a kitchen knife beneath his pillow on the eve of his eleventh birthday to cease intercourse assaults from his paedophile father.
Johnandrew Ballantyne’s determined transfer got here following 4 years of terror by the hands of John Ballantyne between 1987 and 1991.
The 60-year-old was despatched to jail final month for a listing of abuse on his son and plenty of others in Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire from 1977 to 2018.
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There have been female and male victims ranging in age from 5 years outdated to adults.
In addition to being abused, Johnandrew, 41, witnessed his father committing atrocious acts, together with raping a girl.
He advised our sister paper the Sunday Mail how he discovered the braveness to come back ahead and communicate to the police.
He stated: “I hadn’t seen my dad for years, however was conscious he wasn’t but an outdated man and I used to be sure he would nonetheless have entry to
kids.
“I’d seen him attacking others and thought I had an obligation to attempt to cease him creating different victims, so I went to the police.”
Johnandrew didn’t use the knife beneath the pillow on his father, however added: “The one time I ever had sufficient time to get the knife out was when another person was larking about and gave me a fright.
“I might have damage them with it, however fortunately I realised it was them earlier than it was too late.”
He revealed that Ballantyne tried to faux he was sick to evade justice.
Johnandrew, 41, from Lanarkshire, stated: “When police went to arrest him, he performed the sick card and pretended he couldn’t get away from bed.
“A few weeks later he flew to Mexico for a vacation at a five-star resort. Then, when he needed to seem in courtroom, he was in a wheelchair.
“He received away with it for greater than 4 a long time, so the jail time doesn’t actually mirror that – however at the least he can’t abuse anybody whereas he’s locked up and possibly he received’t stroll out of jail.”
Ballantyne will now spend 12 years behind bars with an additional 4 years on licence. He can even be topic to intercourse offender registration necessities.
Johnandrew stated it was solely by means of the assist of his spouse Samantha and changing into a dad to their two kids that he was capable of pull by means of from the childhood trauma and a number of other suicide makes an attempt.
He additionally acquired assist by means of the Moira Anderson Basis (MAF), which was arrange within the title of the lacking Coatbridge
schoolgirl believed to have been murdered by a paedophile in 1957 however whose physique has by no means been discovered.
He stated: “I wasn’t positive what was obtainable for males who had been sexually abused as kids.
“My notion was that almost all victims have been feminine, so companies can be geared for them.
“However I heard in regards to the Moira Anderson Basis, received in contact and it has been an enormous assist to me and my household in coping with my abuse.”
He nonetheless suffers on account of his bodily accidents however has waived his proper to anonymity to speak in regards to the psychological scars that just about killed him in his youth.
He additionally feels it’s vital to let males who have been sexually abused as kids know they aren't alone and that there's assist obtainable.
Johnandrew added: “The primary individual I ever advised about what had occurred to me was my spouse and I received complete assist.
“She had her suspicions due to my nightmares – I’d wake her up shouting within the evening. Ultimately the time got here to inform her the entire reality.”
Sandra Brown, founding father of the MAF, stated: “Male survivors have been usually counted in single figures yearly.
“However since 2021, they've made up between 20 and 25% of latest referrals. It takes braveness to ask for assist and this can be a constructive improvement.”
After the case, Detective Sergeant David Brown, from Larbert Police Station, stated: “Ballantyne’s offending has had a major and lasting influence on the lives of his victims.
“The sentencing ensures he faces the implications of his actions.”
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