Groomed by a Gang

By: Ann Cusack, Christina O'Connor

Narrated by: Laura Brydon

Christina O’Connor is the main prosecution witness from the Huddersfield Grooming scandal. In 2017, 11 men were convicted of a staggering 43 offences against her, including 22 counts of rape.

In this memoir, Christina will describe how, from being a happy child with a loving family, she fell into the clutches of a grooming gang whose abuse of children earned them a total of 221 years in prison. Christina’s helpless parents tried desperately to save their 13 year old daughter as she began playing truant, and was lured into sexual activities with complete strangers, in exchange for pizza, vodka and cannabis.

After five years of almost daily rape, Christina committed robberies under duress from the grooming gang and was jailed. She made a complaint to police about the abuse, but no action was taken.

She sees the prison term as her salvation; from this moment she turned her life around. Two years after her release, her police statement was found at the back of a filing cabinet, and Operation Tendersea, the investigation into the grooming gang was launched.

This is the first time Christina has spoken out. She has waived her right to anonymity and wants the world to hear her voice©2023 Christina O'Connor with Ann Cusack (P)2023 W F Howes Ltd

Outrageous story

It's outrageous how this can happen in this day and age. I knew about this story but Christina told it so well and the narrator is awesome

Sad story, but worth understanding

This is one of those stories that you find truly hard to believe, and to understand how it can get so far. But as you listen further, you do start to understand the manipulation that happens slowly along the way. This is the kind of story that happens every day in every country, and there is so much need for advocacy and for understanding the signs in order to help these youth. Such a brave author to tell her story, as well as an amazing job by the narrator.

Consistent with the Rotherham court cases.

I have listened to several books involving Pakistani gangs sexually brutalizing young English girls. My first was Violated, by Sarah Wilson. In that well publicized criminal trial, with convictions, the disgusting Pakistani gangs were exposed, with many sent to jail. They consider English girls nothing more than white trash to be groomed, used and sold. None were kidnapped and they lived at home with a parent.

I would recommend googling Rotherham criminal trials, reading the news articles, and then ordering both books I mentioned.

Great story

This writer really went through a horrendous situation in which many people would not make it out it out to tell their story. She is courageous and strong and her story speaks to that. The narration is wonderful too.

So disturbing

So riveting and disturbing at the same time. Will live rent free in my head for a while!