A survivor of sexual abuse has detailed the impact it has left on her life, as the man who abused her begins serving 12 years behind bars for his crimes.

The offender, who was known to the survivor, abused her over a period of 10 years from the ages of six to 16 between 1986 and 1996.

The survivor found the strength to come forward and report the abuse to police in April 2020, and David White, (21/12/1956) was arrested. In May 2023 he was charged with four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14, and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16.

The survivor said, “This has been a very long and hard journey which tested my strength and resilience. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, and it only takes something small like smelling a certain aftershave or seeing a ring on a man’s little finger to bring it all back to me.

“The consequences of David’s choices have affected every aspect of my life. l feel that David’s words have made me believe that the way I look offends others. I have always bought much bigger sized clothes to hide my body, and I did and still do wear clothes that are too big for me.

“Having it drummed into you that you are ‘fat’, ‘smelly’, ‘ugly’ and ‘didn’t matter’ makes it hard to have the confidence to make friends and have a life.

“My childhood was stolen and can never be returned. The only way I have managed to get on with my life is to block out all memories from childhood.

“I will never forgive David for what he has done to me. Every time that cell door slams is just a tiny glimpse of what he has done to me.”

Following a week-long trial, White, 68, of Sunbury, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday, 11 September for eight counts of indecent assault. He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Reflecting on her experience, the survivor said, “I want to help other survivors and let them know not to give up.

“I want to thank Surrey Police, especially DC Louise Sloan and Anna Banting in Witness Care, for believing in me and not giving up when it mattered and helping me find the strength when I felt I had none left.”

Investigating officer, DC Louise Sloan, said, “I would like to thank the survivor for finding the confidence to come forward to police and report the awful events that took place. I hope she feels that justice have been done, and her voice has finally been heard after all these years.

“Without her help, trust and support, this abhorrent individual would never have brought to justice. Hopefully this conviction assists her in moving forward with her life.

“I’d like to reassure any survivors of abuse that it is never too late to come forward and report to us, even if they took place decades ago. Surrey Police will always take your report seriously and investigate where we possibly can.

“I hope this conviction serves as a warning to those who abuse children that, no matter how long ago you committed your crimes, not to believe that you have gotten away with it. We could come knocking on your door any day now.”