Abbey Richards speaks out about abuse by paedophile foster carer Rex Case

Abbey Richards was one of five young girls to be sexually abused by Case – who was jailed in 2012 after his three decades of “systematic abuse” were exposed.

Until now, none of the victims has spoken publicly about Case and his actions.

But Abbey, 27, has waived her legal right to anonymity in order to tell her story – which she hopes will prompt other victims of sexual assault to speak out.

It comes as a report highlighed how a 'benefit of doubt culture' allowed Rex Case to continue as a foster carer, despite concerns and a number allegations raised against him at the time.

READ: Serious case review published into Rex Case >>>

Abbey was first taken into care aged five, after her mother, Tracey Collins, who was living in Shirley at the time, asked for help from social services.

Tracey, who sat beside her daughter throughout the interview, said she had contacted social services for respite – as she struggling to cope as a single mother-of-four.

The children were separated into foster care, with Abbey moving into the home of Rex Case.

She said: “I was immediately scared of him, I was scared all the time.

“I didn’t want to be there. I just wanted my mum.

“I tried to stay away from him as much as possible.

"I remember when he used to leave for work, I would hide behind his wife, because he would come up to me and want a kiss.

READ: Paedophile foster carer Rex Case jailed for 21 years at Southampton Crown Court >>>

“I’d be shying away, because I didn’t want to kiss him.

“He was an intimidating person and he was so sure of himself. There was no love and there was no care.

“When he got home, I would hide in my bedroom, just hoping he wouldn’t find me, but he always would.

“I remember he used to count as he was trying to find me, I could feel my heart going.

“He knew were I was hiding, it was like a game to him.”

Case continued in his attempts to groom Abbey, often presenting himself naked in front of her, before eventually moving on to sexual touching.

Fighting her tears back, Abbie said: “I knew it was wrong, but I felt I couldn’t do or say anything.

“He would get really angry with me if I didn’t. I didn’t want to be in trouble or upset him.”

Abbey was never raped by Case, but she suffered a number of sexual assaults.

She was eventually moved to a new home in Scotland, unrelated to the council foster scheme, where she suffered physical abuse.

Abbey has since been reunited with her mother and is now living in Fareham, having trained as a hairdresser.

But she remains critical of her treatment in the foster care system and those who worked within it.

She said:“I was robbed of a childhood, I was just used and abused and I feel like everyone involved just got away with it.

“I was in the care of the local authority who were meant to protect me, and all this went on.

She added: “I still feel like I’ve had no closure and I feel like I’ve had no answers.”