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A victim subjected to a campaign of abuse as a child has broken her silence after she helped put the monster behind bars for 16 years.
Former Medway bus driver Keith Goodearl was found guilty of attempted rape, sex assaults and other indecent acts against three youngsters in Sheerness and Staffordshire.
One of his Kent victims, who asked to remain anonymous, says she reported him to police after nearly three decades living with the "horrendous guilt" of her ordeal.
In that time she has suffered from PTSD, couldn't have physical relationships without feeling sick or crying and has even tried to take her own life.
Last Friday he was finally brought to justice, but not before one last trauma while she was giving evidence at Stafford Crown Court — she opened her hotel curtains to see him standing outside, setting off her first ever panic attack.
She told KentOnline what began as inappropriate touching escalated until, at one point, he tried to rape her.
Goodearl, 54, was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, two counts of indecent assault, one count of attempted sexual assault and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and sentenced.
The offences took place in Tamworth and Burton between 1986 and 2001 and in Sheerness, between 2007 and 2011.
Now an adult the victim told KentOnline: "He made me sit there while he played with my breast and stood masturbating in front of me. He is disgusting.
"I couldn't take any more, he was more brazen with it, he didn't seem to care."
In 1995 the victim did go to the police and file charges but later dropped these after she came under pressure.
However, in 2017 the victim decided that, in order to protect others, she needed to make a stand.
She said: "My archived statement is what helped get him.
"The original statement compared to the latest statement I made were pretty much identical and that led to him going to court.
"It was there that myself and two other victims testified."
The woman said she didn't tell anyone about the abuse as she had no 'faith' that anything would be done.
She said: "It had been buried in my soul because I had no faith in anybody and I really had no faith in the justice system.
"I did not expect him to even go to prison for it so to hear he has been jailed for 16 years means a little bit of my faith in humanity is restored.
"Of course no sentence is enough for the life I've lived because of him.
"He's ruined my whole life and I'm never going to get that back.
"My life and how my life should have been planned out is all ruined.
"The whole reason I went back to the police seven years ago is because I had this horrendous guilt of other people suffering because I wasn't strong enough, and that is why I fought for justice.
"On so many occasions along the road, I could have just given up but I continued so I could protect future victims and any other children going through what I've had to live through."
As a result of the abuse the victim now suffers from PTSD and emotionally unstable personality disorder.
Her mental health was also heavily impacted after an awful coincidence meant she and her abuser where staying in the same hotel during the trial.
She said: "I opened my hotel bedroom's curtains to see him standing outside having a fag and chatting with a woman and a kid.
"It was awful and caused me to have my first ever anxiety attack."
Police confirmed that this happened as a result of Goodearl booking his own accommodation.
Once it was realised the victim was moved by witness protection.
She said: "The impact the abuse had is massive.
"I can't hold relationships, I doubt everybody, I trust nobody, I can't have a physical relationship with anyone without feeling sick or crying.
'I'm just not the person I feel I should be. I'm angry, bitter and resentful to everybody'
"I'm short-tempered, I have no friends and I can't hold a job.
"I just feel that everyone's out to get me, I feel the whole world hates me, which stops me forming relationships.
"I've self-harmed and attempted to take my life over the years. I'm just not the person I feel I should be. I'm angry, bitter and resentful to everybody."
She said: "I hope by me speaking out that any of his other victims now feel safe enough to tell their story, especially because he is now behind bars.
"I believe there are probably lots of other victims that he abused, just because of how he was and how he went about it.
"Even if they don't come forward, I'd like them to know they can now feel safe to be able to go out without fear of bumping into him.
"Even if you suffered abuse at the hands of someone else, I just hope me speaking out will give anyone the strength, because it does go on and it's a sick way of life."
'I just feel like he's taken my life. I'm living in this shadow of something he created. It's a nightmare.'
The victim explained Goodearl's actions now makes her question everyone she meets.
She said: "You find yourself looking at men differently.
"You look at everybody as if they're a paedophile.
"I just feel like he's taken my life. I'm living in this shadow of something he created. It's a nightmare.
"The 16-year sentence will never be enough and I still don't know how I feel about the whole thing.
"I'm still not processing it, because my pain is still there. It's still raw.
"I've got a small sense of relief that he's no longer on the streets but for me, everything else feels the same.
"His sentence doesn't make the pain of the last 27 years any better."
At the hearing Goodearl, who had since moved to Humberside, was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.
DC Laura Turner, of the Child Protection and Exploitation Team at Staffordshire Police, said: “This was a complex case which spanned decades and impacted the lives of all those affected.
“The victims have shown tremendous courage and strength coming forward.
“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report this to us. We will listen to you, and you and your families will be supported by specially-trained detectives and support workers.
“If you are or have been a victim or you are worried about something, and you don’t feel ready to talk to the police, please speak to someone you trust.”
