IT WAS the moment Shavoughne Firth had been waiting for – finally her abuser had been caught in the act.
But as the relief washed over her, the then six-year-old could never have imagined her ordeal would take an even darker twist.
Shavoughne Firth suffered years of abuse at the hands of her own brother[/caption]
She was just five years old when her older brother Kieren Firth began his attacks[/caption]
Kieran Firth was sentenced to eight years in prison for his seven-year-long campaign of abuse[/caption]
Shavoughne, 27, from Penzance, Cornwall, says that while Kieran Firth, 37, looked like a caring and protective older brother to the outside world he was a monster who abused her throughout her childhood.
Behind closed doors, he preyed on her around the family home and during bath-times from the age of five.
To add to the suffering she endured, Shavoughne claims the most painful part was that when her abuser was caught her own mother Cathy* stood by him.
Kieran was sentenced to eight years in prison for his seven-year-long campaign of abuse but it has deeply affected Shavoughne’s life, leaving her with anxiety, PTSD and depression.
Now, Shavoughne is bravely waiving her anonymity in a bid to raise awareness for sexual abuse within families.
Shavoughne, a former shopkeeper, says: “I know now I am not a victim of my brother. I am a survivor.
“I also walked out of court with no family to greet me, and not only lost my brother but also my mother too after she took his side.
“But I will continue to fight for my healing and I know I will be okay.”
INNOCENCE TAKEN
Growing up, Shavoughne lived with her parents, and two older brothers, in a large three-bed house in Penzance.
She says she always felt closer to her middle brother Alex*, who was two years younger than Kieran.
She says: “I looked up to Alex, whilst Kieran and I weren’t as close.
“Most nights after dinner, our parents went to the pub and I’d play with Alex.
“But Kieran would keep to himself, usually hidden away in his room.
“From as long as I can remember, I always thought mum favoured Kieran. He was born with a rare condition and had a hole in his heart.
“He wasn’t supposed to live past his second birthday. So he was their miracle baby.
“I also felt mum’s sons were the apple of her eye. Whilst I felt a little left behind.”
In 2002, Shavoughne was five years old when she was left home alone with Kieran, then aged 16.
Shavoughne was sitting on the living room carpet, watching the television when her older brother first took her innocence.
Kieran would abuse Shavoughne any time the pair were home alone together[/caption]
Eventually their other brother Alex caught Kieran, pictured top left, abusing Shavoughne[/caption]
But when Alex and Shavoughne told their mum about the abuse she didn’t believe them[/caption]
She says: “I suddenly heard Kieran heavily breathing. I turned around and saw he was behind me with his hand down his trousers.
“Kieran laid me down and put his hands in my pants. As he fondled down below, I didn’t understand what was happening.
“He told me after that Mum would never find out as it was our little secret.
“I didn’t think there was anything to tell.”
After that, Kieran preyed on his little sister around the family home whenever they were left alone.
Shavoughne says: “I would cling to my Alex often, feeling safe with him. But once everyone was out of the house, I couldn’t hide from Kieran.
“Things got worse, and he began forcing me to touch him. After two years when I was seven, he began abusing me in the bathtub too.”
RELENTLESS ABUSE
Then one night, in 2004, Kieran was assaulting Shavoughne in the bath whilst babysitting her when Alex came home early.
He heard Shavoughne’s cries and, assuming there was an intruder, bolted up the stairs.
She says: “He caught Kieran, naked, on top of me in the bath. He grabbed Kieran and they scuffled, before he pinned him to the wall, shouting.
“Yet Kieran said nothing back. Sobbing, naked, I felt ashamed and embarrassed.
“Seeing me cry, Alex wrapped a towel around me to cover me up and told me no-one would touch me again and everything would be okay.
“In that moment, Kieran managed to get away. I felt relief as I thought it was all over.
“But when Alex told mum everything as she came home that night, she said he was lying and making it all up.
“She didn’t believe him. It broke my heart. I felt betrayed and only felt I had him on my side.”
After that, Kieran stopped abusing Shavoughne after Alex had scared him off.
MUM’S BETRAYAL
Days later, Shavoughne found the courage to tell Cathy about the abuse.
Shavoughne says: “She said that Kieran was just washing me in the bath.
“I was told to never speak about it again. It was like a knife to my chest.
“Then to make things worse, Alex had to move away and we didn’t get a proper goodbye.
“I was devastated. Only two months after he left and was unable to protect me, Kieran pounced again.”
Mum told me she couldn’t cope with a son in prison
Shavoughne
When Shavoughne was 10 she started sex education at school and began to realise the true extent of her brother’s abuse.
“I wrote mum a long letter that year, telling her how I felt betrayed and isolated but nothing happened and no-one cared,” she says.
“Time passed and I again brought up Kieran and what he did during bathtimes, but she told me she couldn’t cope with a son in prison.
“Feeling guilty, I didn’t want to be responsible for destroying our family. My voice was silenced again.”
The abuse continued until 2010, when Shavoughne was 12, and Kieran was 22. Aged 13, struggling to cope with the trauma, she tried to take her own life.
How to report a sexual assault
- Contact a doctor or practice nurse at your GP surgery.
- Contact a voluntary organisation, such as Rape Crisis, Women’s Aid, Victim Support, The Survivors Trust or Male Survivors Partnership.
- Call the 24-hour freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247.
- Speak to the rape and sexual abuse support line run by Rape Crisis England and Wales – you can call the helpline on 0808 500 2222 or use the online chat (both are free and are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year).
She was in and out of hospital and constantly pulled out of school.
She says: “I battled with PTSD, anxiety and depression from the abuse.
“My suicide attempt was a turning point. I finally found the courage to seek help and began counselling.
“Two years later, I broke free from my family, and moved out when I was 15. Although I stayed in touch with my parents, I refused to see Kieran again.
“As Mum and I still had a relationship, I felt trapped for years. Instilled with shame and still being silenced.”
At 18, Shavoughne welcomed a baby boy with her now ex-boyfriend.
She says: “I named him after Alex who would always be my hero. The only person in my life who’d ever defended and believed me.”
SEEKING JUSTICE
Fed up with protecting her family, Shavoughne cut them off and came forward to the police in 2021 aged 24.
In December 2024, Kieran Firth, now 37, of St Aubyns, Goldsithney, Penzance, was found guilty on five counts of sexual offences against a child including two counts of indecent assault, two of assault by penetration and one of sexual assault against Shavoughne.
He was imprisoned for eight years.
In court, mum sat in the public gallery taking Kieran’s side. It was horrendous
Shavoughne
Shavoughne, who now has a new partner, Kane, 40, says: “In court, mum sat in the public gallery taking Kieran’s side. It was horrendous.
“Luckily Alex showed up at court and told the jury what he’d seen in the bath that awful night.
“Lawyers tried to blame Kieran’s speech issues, a skeletal development disorder and heart condition as an excuse for abusing me. But the jury didn’t buy it.
“Now, I’m grieving as he’s in prison and also because I don’t have a mum anymore. She chose her side and stuck to it.
“I will never get over it. Not having my parents to support me through this has been the hardest bit.
“My partner Kane has been incredibly supportive though.
“Now I’m also working on becoming a mentor to help survivors of sexual abuse.”
*Names have been changed
Shavoughne has found love with her partner Kane and is moving on[/caption]
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
