Ben Cammillare was just 14 when he was preyed upon by Paul Jones, 62, a family friend. Now aged 26, Ben has bravely waived his right to anonymity in the hope that speaking out will give others the courage to come forward.
He shared: "If people see this, see my name, that I'm the victim in this case, it might give them confidence to come forward. The reason I didn't come out about this was because I thought no one is going to believe it. But when it came out, my stepdad believed me, my mum believed me, and it snowballed from there with everyone believing what was going on."
Ben, from Leasowe, Merseyside, recounted how he first encountered Jones at a family gathering over a decade ago. Jones, who worked with Ben's uncle, swiftly won the trust of both Ben and his mother by taking him on excursions to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, truck stops, and even the Silverstone Circuit in Towcester.
Jones became an integral part of the family, whisking Ben away on brief trips to Belfast, Cancun, and Tenerife, and connecting over a mutual passion for machinery and Eddie Stobart trucks. As Ben matured, he consciously kept his distance from Jones, although the man remained a fixture in the family circle, reports the Manchester Evening News.
In 2018, as reported by The Echo, the birth of Ben's daughter provided a beacon of hope amidst the turmoil, inspiring him to persevere through the toughest times.
Ben recalled the moment he rejected the idea of his mum's friend being his child's godfather, stating: "I remember my mum suggesting Paul to be godfather. At that point, she had no idea. I shot her down straight away. I said no way, not happening, not her godfather, no way."
It wasn't until five years later that Ben found the strength to tell his stepdad about the abuse. He recounted: "One day something just clicked in me on my way home from work. I just messaged my stepdad and said 'I need to tell you something'. When I got home he came up to my room and I told him what happened. But I genuinely didn't think anyone was going to believe me because of the way he acted around everyone."
The horrific revelation came as a terrible shock his mum. Describing Jones as "an evil man", she said: "It's still not sunk in with me. You read stuff like this in magazines and it doesn't happen to you. To know that I trusted him.
"I know Ben is nearly 27 now, but he's my baby and I feel I've not protected Ben as a mum. I feel I've let him down because of what he has done to my son."
Jones faced the court at Liverpool Crown Court last week, pleading guilty to sexual activity with a child. He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation days and a four month curfew. He was also given a restraining order and a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Both mother and son expressed dismay at the leniency of the punishment. Ben voiced his firm belief: "My view on paedophiles is they should be locked up.
"The person lives their whole life with that. I've still got the memories. I can still remember some of the feelings of what happened.
"I could say worse, a lot worse. He's cancer of the earth. If I had my way he'd be locked in a cell with the key thrown away."
Despite this, he stated his lengthy battle for justice has "made him stronger", and he is now pursuing his dream job as a lorry driver for WS Transportation.
He said: "It has been a struggle. My mental health took a massive dip. There's been at least two games for Tranmere where I didn't go because I didn't feel up for it.
"Things like just going down the road, I couldn't face it because I was so stressed about going out. Everyone knows him now. Everyone knows what he is and what he's done, and no one is going to want to go near him. It's nothing for me to be ashamed of."
