This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/01/bob-higgins-chased-by-alleged-assault-victim-with-an-axe-court-told
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Bob Higgins chased by alleged assault victim with an axe, court told | Bob Higgins chased by alleged assault victim with an axe, court told |
| (6 months later) | |
| An alleged victim of the former youth football coach Bob Higgins, who is on trial accused of a string of indecent assaults against junior players, broke down in tears as he apologised for not coming forward years ago and spoke of his sense of shame. | An alleged victim of the former youth football coach Bob Higgins, who is on trial accused of a string of indecent assaults against junior players, broke down in tears as he apologised for not coming forward years ago and spoke of his sense of shame. |
| The complainant, who can only be identified as A, said he should have told the authorities much sooner of the abuse he suffered at Higgins’s hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t come forward earlier. I should have come forward earlier,” he said. | The complainant, who can only be identified as A, said he should have told the authorities much sooner of the abuse he suffered at Higgins’s hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t come forward earlier. I should have come forward earlier,” he said. |
| He claimed he was so angry at the abuse he suffered that he once chased Higgins with an axe and said he would have seriously harmed him if he had caught him. | He claimed he was so angry at the abuse he suffered that he once chased Higgins with an axe and said he would have seriously harmed him if he had caught him. |
| Complainant A also alleged that years after the abuse, Higgins sought him out, apologised and told him he had found God. A said Higgins was patted on the back by a companion he was with “as if he had won the FA Cup”. | Complainant A also alleged that years after the abuse, Higgins sought him out, apologised and told him he had found God. A said Higgins was patted on the back by a companion he was with “as if he had won the FA Cup”. |
| A jury at Salisbury crown court has been told that Higgins, a former Southampton FC and Peterborough United coach, is a predatory paedophile who used his “supreme power” to carry out a campaign of sexual abuse against schoolboy footballers over a quarter of a century. | A jury at Salisbury crown court has been told that Higgins, a former Southampton FC and Peterborough United coach, is a predatory paedophile who used his “supreme power” to carry out a campaign of sexual abuse against schoolboy footballers over a quarter of a century. |
| Higgins, now 65, allegedly abused boys on training camps, at the home he shared with his wife, Shirley, in his car and on ferries heading to cup competitions in Sweden. He denies 50 counts of indecent assault against 24 boys. | Higgins, now 65, allegedly abused boys on training camps, at the home he shared with his wife, Shirley, in his car and on ferries heading to cup competitions in Sweden. He denies 50 counts of indecent assault against 24 boys. |
| The first alleged victim to give evidence was the only one who was not a footballer. In a video interview played to a jury, complainant A alleged that he was abused by Higgins when he was a teenager in the early 1970s. | The first alleged victim to give evidence was the only one who was not a footballer. In a video interview played to a jury, complainant A alleged that he was abused by Higgins when he was a teenager in the early 1970s. |
| A, who is now middle-aged and grey-haired, said Higgins had an “aura” about him. He said: “I knew nothing about sex, absolutely nothing. I ended up in his bed. He said he was going to undress me, which he did.” | A, who is now middle-aged and grey-haired, said Higgins had an “aura” about him. He said: “I knew nothing about sex, absolutely nothing. I ended up in his bed. He said he was going to undress me, which he did.” |
| The complainant said Higgins began to touch him intimately. “He was asking me: ‘How does that feel? What’s happening? Do you feel any tingling?’” A said he considered that he lost his virginity to Higgins. | The complainant said Higgins began to touch him intimately. “He was asking me: ‘How does that feel? What’s happening? Do you feel any tingling?’” A said he considered that he lost his virginity to Higgins. |
| “Then he [Higgins] lay back and took his trousers off and opened his top,” said A. “He said: ‘I want you to do the same to me. I want you to pleasure me.’ It didn’t feel right.” | “Then he [Higgins] lay back and took his trousers off and opened his top,” said A. “He said: ‘I want you to do the same to me. I want you to pleasure me.’ It didn’t feel right.” |
| A claimed Higgins told him he would reveal what was happening if he refused his advances. “I was frightened to death,” he said. The complainant also claimed Higgins told him he would not be believed if he told anyone. | A claimed Higgins told him he would reveal what was happening if he refused his advances. “I was frightened to death,” he said. The complainant also claimed Higgins told him he would not be believed if he told anyone. |
| “That’s the life I lived for two, three, four months. I knew in my heart it was wrong what he was doing.” A said Higgins began to see his future wife, Shirley, and the abuse stopped. | “That’s the life I lived for two, three, four months. I knew in my heart it was wrong what he was doing.” A said Higgins began to see his future wife, Shirley, and the abuse stopped. |
| At one point, A became so angry that he pursued Higgins with an axe. “I went for him. He came within that much of getting an axe in his head. | At one point, A became so angry that he pursued Higgins with an axe. “I went for him. He came within that much of getting an axe in his head. |
| “I could have seriously done him harm. He done me harm. He totally took my virginity away. He got me into sex early. I threw myself into girlfriends as if to prove I wasn’t gay. I treated some girls terrible.” | “I could have seriously done him harm. He done me harm. He totally took my virginity away. He got me into sex early. I threw myself into girlfriends as if to prove I wasn’t gay. I treated some girls terrible.” |
| Years later, A said that Higgins sought him out. “He said: ‘I’m sorry.’ Not: ‘I’m sorry for abusing you’, just: ‘I’m sorry, I’ve found God and I need to say sorry.’” | Years later, A said that Higgins sought him out. “He said: ‘I’m sorry.’ Not: ‘I’m sorry for abusing you’, just: ‘I’m sorry, I’ve found God and I need to say sorry.’” |
| A said he regretted not coming forward in the early 1990s with his allegations when Higgins was put on trial but cleared of a sexual assault charge. | A said he regretted not coming forward in the early 1990s with his allegations when Higgins was put on trial but cleared of a sexual assault charge. |
| In 2016 when Higgins was once again in the news, memories returned of what happened to him and he felt “ashamed”. | In 2016 when Higgins was once again in the news, memories returned of what happened to him and he felt “ashamed”. |
| A said: “I thought, you’re not getting away with it this time.” He said he was particularly struck by an interview in which one alleged victim said that if you remained silent you protected your abuser. | A said: “I thought, you’re not getting away with it this time.” He said he was particularly struck by an interview in which one alleged victim said that if you remained silent you protected your abuser. |
| “That’s the one point that made me feel I can’t stay quiet. I have to say something.” He contacted the children’s charity the NSPCC and the police got in touch. “I couldn’t let it go again. I’m sorry I didn’t come forward earlier. I should have come forward earlier.” | “That’s the one point that made me feel I can’t stay quiet. I have to say something.” He contacted the children’s charity the NSPCC and the police got in touch. “I couldn’t let it go again. I’m sorry I didn’t come forward earlier. I should have come forward earlier.” |
| Alistair MacDonald QC, for Higgins, suggested to A there had been no sexual abuse. A replied: “That’s total rubbish. Sexual abuse did take place by that person in the dock. He knows it and I know it.” | Alistair MacDonald QC, for Higgins, suggested to A there had been no sexual abuse. A replied: “That’s total rubbish. Sexual abuse did take place by that person in the dock. He knows it and I know it.” |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| UK news | UK news |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |