A WOMAN has bravely told how she was raped by her paedo 'grandad' from the age of seven.

Charlotte Wade, 22, from Barry, Wales, was just five when Raymond Hodges, 73, started sexually abusing her.

4 Charlotte was abused from the age of five by her evil grandad. Pictured, aged 12 when she fell pregnant Credit: HotSpot Media

She fell pregnant at 12 and he gave her an abortion at home using a coat hanger.

Charlotte told Fabulous Digital: “I’d never felt pain like it. I felt like I was going to die.”

Hodges was Charlotte’s stepdad’s father. He lived in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, but would travel to Charlotte’s home once a month to stay with the family for a couple of weeks.

In 2002, when Charlotte was five, Hodges offered to babysit her while her stepdad went out and her mum was at work.

4 Sick Hodges was jailed for 25 years Credit: HotSpot Media

Charlotte was delighted. She said: “I loved Raymond like he was my real grandad. He always brought me chocolate when he visited.

“But that day, Raymond was different and asked me if I knew how to kiss like a grown-up.

“When I said no, he kissed me on the lips. Afterwards, he told me it was our secret. From then on he’d do it every time we were alone.”

The abuse escalated and the next time Hodges stayed over he made Charlotte touch him while her parents were asleep. Soon she began to dread his visits.

In 2003, when Charlotte was six, Hodges moved to Barry to be closer to the family.

She said: “I felt sick. I’d stay at his most weekends. He’d force me to touch him and he’d touch me on my privates.

4 Charlotte has bravely wavered her right to anonymity to talk about the ordeal Credit: HotSpot Media

"He threatened to hurt my brothers if I told anyone. I was desperate to protect them, so I kept quiet."

A year later, when Charlotte was seven, Raymond took her to his flat, pushed her onto the living room floor and raped her.

She says: “The pain was unbearable. He told me this is what grown-ups did. Afterwards, he bought me sweets from the shop as if nothing had happened. I felt trapped.”

A year later, Hodges began to film the sexual assaults. When Charlotte refused he kicked her in the stomach and did it anyway, leaving her feeling “powerless”.

She said: “The next time I refused, he forced my hand onto a scalding kettle."

Grandad appeared with a coat hanger. What happened next will haunt me forever. I felt like I was going to die Charlotte Wade

But there was worse to come. In 2009 when Charlotte was 12, she missed two periods.

She said: “Grandad was abusing me so regularly that he noticed and forced me to take a pregnancy test.

"He wouldn’t let me see the results and nothing was mentioned for a few weeks.”

The next month, while Charlotte was at Hodges' flat a friend of his turned up.

Out of nowhere, his friend shoved Charlotte to the ground and pinned her down.

Charlotte said: “I was terrified and thought he was going to rape me. Grandad appeared with a coat hanger. What happened next will haunt me forever. I felt like I was going to die.

“Afterwards he told me that I wouldn’t be pregnant anymore, then he left me bleeding on the floor.”

4 Charlotte pictured when the abuse began aged five Credit: HotSpot Media

Over the next two years, Hodges continued to rape Charlotte every week. But when she hit her teens, the attacks became less frequent.

Then, aged 14, Hodges argued with her mum and stopped coming round.

Charlotte said: “Even after grandad left, I never felt safe. I suffered terrible flashbacks and self-harmed. I tried to end my life several times. I realised that grandad needed to be punished for what he’d done to me.”

In November 2016, she reported him to the police. In July 2017, Raymond Hodges, of Monmouth Way, Barry, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court charged with 24 offences against Charlotte.

He pleaded guilty to one count of rape of a female child under the age of 13, one count of sexual assault of a female under the age of 13, assault of a female child under the age of 13, and causing or inciting a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

He denied the rest of the charges, forcing Charlotte to give evidence.

Even after grandad left, I never felt safe. I suffered terrible flashbacks and self-harmed. I tried to end my life Charlotte Wade

After a two-week trial, Hodges was found guilty on all the remaining 20 charges including using an instrument to procure abortion.

Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins said Hodges had shown no remorse for what he called “the most depraved and horrific campaign of sexual abuse”.

He jailed Hodges for 25 years and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

Charlotte finished: “When the police told me, I fell to the floor sobbing. Speaking out has helped me move forward with my life – and I want to urge others to do the same.

“My sick grandad may have deprived me of a happy childhood, but I refuse to let him ruin my future.

“I’m slowing piecing my life back together. And it helps to know that he’s rotting behind bars – and that my evidence helped to put him there.”

Where can you get help? If you've been raped or sexually abused there is support available. Visit NHS Choices – help after rape and sexual assault. Find a Sexual Abuse Referral Centre via the NHS. If you are a child, or worried about a child, you can contact the NSPCC. The charity Rape Crisis has a website and also a phone line 0808 802 9999. You can contact Victim Support via their website or support line 0808 168 9111.

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