A courageous former St John’s Ambulance cadet today struck a defiant note – as he watched his sex attacker being sent to prison for offences dating back 44 years.

Thanet man Derek Eaglestone was jailed for three and a half years for preying on the youngster.

As the 80-year-old – a decorated St John’s commander – was led away to the cells, brave victim Phillip Russell asked the judge to lift the legal restriction so he could be named publicly.

Twice-married, the 55-year-old, had told Canterbury Crown Court of his years of torment living with his secret since he was aged 11.

He revealed how he had been groomed by Eaglestone as he helped at social events attended by the charity.

One the way home, the sex attacker, who was later to receive an MBE, drove the ambulance and ensured he was alone with his victim.

He then persuaded his way into the terrified youngster’s life so the two would go away on holiday together – where more abuse took place.

A jury convicted the former superintendent, of Court Mount, Birchington of four charges of sexual abuse dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.

Mr Russell said the abuse had destroyed his first marriage, caused mental breakdowns and turned him into someone who needed to control people.

In a heartbreaking statement read to the judge, he said: “I lost full trust with my family and I know that this is why I have no friends and do not socialise.

“I fear that if I am close to someone then they may hurt me.

“I know what this person has done. He has taken away my innocence...the child that was left inside and destroyed me.

“No matter how many times I tried to put back the pieces he was always there ready to pull at the thread holding me together.

“He has torn my family apart and tore the very fabric of my life apart so that I would be alone and afraid.

“But today I am not afraid any more I am not a child anymore. I am a grown up person who can tell the true story.”

“He has torn my family apart and tore the very fabric of my life apart so that I would be alone and afraid" - Phillip Russell

Mr Russell had told the jury during the trial how a gift of a St John Ambulance badge a few years ago had triggered memories of the attacks.

He said the incidents had happened after he joined the charity as a cadet at Hither Green in south London and Eaglestone had singled him out.

The man said the attacks had begun “as a tickling game” in the back of a St John’s ambulance but became increasingly more sinister, and which his sick attacker had called “sword fights”.

Judge Heather Norton told Eaglestone: “This was a gross breach of trust.”

A spokesperson for St John Ambulance earlier said it was “appalled” by the actions of Eaglestone and said he was no longer part of the organisation, having left in 2009.

An NSPCC spokesman said: “Eaglestone showed a complete disregard for his young victim and also for the position of trust he was in at the time.

“The repeated abuse that he carried out has clearly had a lasting impact on his victim and we hope this brave decision to speak publicly about those horrendous experiences will help others.

“It’s important that survivors of abuse know they will be listened to – no matter how long ago the offences took place.”