Brave victim tells 'monster' who attacked three little girls: 'I hope you rot and die in your cell'

A woman has bravely faced her "monster" abuser and told him she hopes he will "rots and die" in his cell.

Evil William Greenfield, now 78, has finally faced justice and been locked up for 10 years after appearing at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, April 3. Jurors found him guilty of nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual activity with a child. He was found not guilty of just one count of indecent assault.

The court heard how he had preyed upon three little girls over a 25-year period. Two of them read out their victim impact statements to the court, telling of the effect Greenfield's sick abuse had on them.

The third did not attend court on Thursday, instead saying in her statement she refused to give any more of her time and energy to a situation that has "taken far too much" of her happiness already.

In hers, the woman abused first by Greenfield told him: "This is the hardest thing I have had to do...I have written this so many times because there is so much I don't know where to start. All I can say is to tell you I'm no longer scared to say what I want to say without being judged.

"I don't know what things go through that sick mind of yours to take my childhood and adulthood from me...You were the monster I needed protecting from. You became my nightmares, my pain, my heartbreak. I was alone. No one to believe what you had done to me. I told someone and I wasn't believed...I missed out on a lot of things because of you. I have been fighting my own battles in my head and battling through life has been hard but since it all came out, it has been the hardest time for me."

The woman said she has suffered from nightmares and depression and she "just wants it all to go away." She told Greenfield: "You have no idea what you have done to me. All I ever wanted was just to have one day where I didn't want to die. Do you know how that makes me feel? No, because you have no heart. I just want this nightmare to end and after today I'm hoping it will end...

"I hope you rot and die in your cell, because after today I don't want to hear your name. You are and will always be a vile human being. Guilty. You're guilty. I have waited so long to hear this. My fighting is finally over and I can put all of this behind me and live the life I deserve...The most important thing is I was believed. You can go and rot as far as I care. I will never think or say your name again after today."

Taking to the witness stand in the court, one of the other women abused by Greenfield said: "The main way this has affected me is through my children. I look at my little girl and think she would have been two years into the abuse and I can't imagine anyone doing that to her. I look at my son and see a bright, confident boy and think he would have two years left. Every time he [Greenfield] kissed me, every time he touched me, it made me more and more closed off from people.

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"I'm ashamed I struggled to talk about it, I'm ashamed it happened and ashamed I can't use the words to talk about what happened. Most of all it makes me sad. I'm sad there may be more children who are now adults this may have happened to and this man has gone on to live his life. I have been taken back to a place I never wanted to be.

"The last few years have been the hardest of my life. I have lived in fear I would not be believed. I have been stuck in a loop but now it is over. I have carried this for 28 years. Those seven years are no longer mine to carry. They are William Greenfields, and the people who brushed me off and didn't do anything or stop it. There are not my seven years anymore."

The court heard it was Greenfield's third victim who came forward first, confronting him over a message and raising the alarm. In her statement, Mr Galley said she had written letters to Greenfield, her younger self, the police officer in the case, her family, the jury and the two other women abused.

In her letter to the two women, she said: "I'm sorry that you had to endure the things that you did. I'm sorry for the happiness this will have taken from you. None of us deserve that. I'm sorry this connection between us isn't a positive one. I'm proud of you that all three of us were heard and spoke up. I hope you get peace going forward - that is what you deserve."

In her letter to the jury, the woman said: "The 12 people who I will never know or meet again, but who made the biggest decisions of my life. Thank you for believing me and for seeing what we saw and giving us the closure we so desperately needed. You have not only helped us but you have given hope to others to come forward in the future."

The woman also thanked Detective Inspector Zoe Llewellyn, and wrote a letter to her unborn daughter, who she said she found out about before she gave her evidence at trial. In a letter to her younger self, the woman said: "You have always had the fight in you to stand up for what is wrong - it just took you a while to realise that you had to do that for yourself too.

"I wish I could go back to that little girl and say 'it will be ok' and 'you have got this, don't be afraid of life. Live it and have faith in yourself. This doesn't have to be your story. Grab that pen and rewrite it. Be bold, be fearless and be strong...You have a voice and I am proud of you.'"

To Greenfield, the woman said: "You don't deserve my thoughts or words. I and my family have nothing to say to you."

Mitigating, Allan Armbrister told the court a pre-sentence report and medical report had been prepared for Greenfield. The court heard Greenfield, of Duke of York Avenue in Wakefield, has recently had a pacemaker fitted and has prostate cancer. He said: "The defendant doesn't accept his part in the case."

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Mr Armbrister asked Recorder of Leeds Judge Guy Kearl to remember totality in the case.

The judge told Greenfield as he sentenced him: "You and I have both listened at trial and today to the damage you have caused to the lives of these women who were children at the time. It is immeasurable and of course it has an effect on others they are now close with who are in their lives.

"You have not committed any further offences since 2009. Your offending was not only as a young man, it has lasted for over 25 years and involved different children. I note from the pre-sentence report you still have no insight into your offending or remorse for your actions."

As the judge told Greenfield he will have to serve two-thirds of his 10-year sentence in custody, a laugh could be heard in the public gallery. He also made him the subject of notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order.

The judge also commended Detective Constable Zoe Llewellyn and said: "Not just in the investigation, but in the way she has dealt with all who has had something to offer to the investigation, in particular each of the complainants."