THE TEENAGE victim of paedophile Andrew Crawford has spoken out about the abuse he subjected her to in the hope of encouraging others to come forward.

The schoolgirl, who was taught by the karate instructor, said: "If I could talk to other girls in the same position as me I would tell them don't hold back. Don't let them walk all over you. Don't let them bribe you'.

"I did for too long. I wish I had been able to speak to someone about it earlier."

Crawford, 36, has admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child and one of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He will be sentenced at Swindon Crown Court later this month.

Bravely reliving her ordeal, the victim said: "We had a really good relationship before.

"He was like a second dad to me. Then he took advantage of that.

"I was battling with it on my own for a few months.

"The way he treated me gradually changed. It was just little things to start with. He would ask me funny questions. He would say something and then forget about it.

"But I would be like hold on, do you know what you just said?' "He didn't tell me to keep quiet, just acted like it was nothing and he'd got amnesia."

After enduring two months of abuse, she finally broke her silence in October last year when she confided in her older sister.

"I told my sister and she made me tell my mum and the police," she said.

"Telling them didn't put an end to everything I was feeling, but it was a big help.

"Because I had finally told someone, it was a weight on their chest, not mine.

"Once I had told my sister, it was out in the open. She said you've got to tell mum and the police.

"It was hard giving all the details to the police. I felt like I was repeating myself over and over again.

"I just hope that because I reported him it won't happen to anyone else in the future.

"It has made me not trust people. There aren't many older men that I know.

"I've got a few friends who are a bit older and sometimes I'll get a bit scared. I do freak out a bit.

"I hardly let anyone give me a hug or touch me. I've only got one friend who I would really even let touch me now."

The teenager's devastated mum said: "This has torn us all up. She thought she couldn't tell me. It breaks my heart to think about what she has been going through.

"The whole time she has been trying to do her exams with this hanging over her head.

"In the beginning he was supportive of her and took her under his wing.

"When she told me, I couldn't take it in. Her sister had to explain it to me because I was so shocked.

"I trusted him to look after her and he abused that. This has been a real blow to her confidence. She was just starting to come out of her shell and now she has gone back in again. Once all the court stuff is over, I just hope she can get on with her life.

"I just hope and pray he'll never be near children again.

"To anyone else who is keeping something like this secret, even if you don't think you can go to your mum, please tell someone. Don't suffer it alone."

  • KARATE instructor Andrew Crawford faces jail after admitting sexually abusing one of his teenage pupils.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child when he appeared before a judge at Swindon Crown Court.

The bespectacled 36-year-old former bouncer also admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of the youngster. All three charges relate to the same schoolgirl and took place between the start of September and end of October last year.

The case was adjourned to Friday, July 27 so the probation service can compile a pre-sentence report.

Crawford, of Rowton Heath Way, Freshbrook, was released on bail on condition he does not have any contact with the victim and co-operates with the probation service in making the report.

He now has to register as a sex offender though the precise length of that registration will be determined by his sentence.

Judge Douglas Field told him all options would be open.

The maximum sentence for sexual activity with a child is 14 years' custody.

Crawford, who used to work as a bouncer at the Kaos nightclub in East Street, is a fourth dan in Tae Kwon-Do, kickboxing and Chung Kwon Do.

He has taught martial arts all over Swindon and North Wiltshire at various clubs, both under his own name and as a franchisee.

In May 1999 Crawford, then a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon-Do and hapkido, came fifth at the European Martial Arts Open.

Before that he came second in the English Open.

He took up martial arts at the age of five after being bullied at school for being dyslexic.