Sexually abused as a child by her father Chloe Parker carried the burden alone for 10 years.

Ipswich Star: Chloe ParkerChloe Parker

Now, kick-boxing champion Andrew Parker, 39, is beginning a two-year jail term after Chloe finally told her mother and grandmother what he had done to her.

Ipswich Star: Chloe Parker - aged sevenChloe Parker - aged seven

Displaying courage and a maturity beyond her years Chloe, of Stowmarket, waived her right to anonymity, declining to hide her identity in order to speak openly about her father’s appalling betrayal of trust.

Ipswich Star: Chloe Parker aged 14Chloe Parker aged 14

As terrible as the sexual abuse was, the 18-year-old said the torment and emotional blackmail that she was subjected to by Parker, of Pimpernel Road, Ipswich, was equally unbearable.

“He stole my childhood, my innocence and any hope of me ever living a normal life,” she said. “He made me feel dirty, afraid, alone, and isolated from everybody else. This left me with M.E and depression, leaving me feeling even more vulnerable than ever. What made the situation even more difficult was the fact he was so highly regarded in the community after working at Bosch Lawn and Garden for 13 years and a number of local funeral companies.

“He was also a well known kick-boxer, teaching and training in the sport as well as winning several fights and championships. It seemed impossible that anyone would believe me.

“He lied about what he did for a long time and convinced my family that I was the manipulative, nasty liar, which in reality, he was.

“However, at 17, after I found out about him committing years of adultery, I finally felt the strength to tell my grandmother, and then my mum, which he denied profusely in an attempt to blacken my name further.

“Despite this, after weeks of begging him to tell the truth and agreeing to keep what had happened within the family, he finally admitted to it. But even after confessing to the sexual abuse, he has still been able to convince some people that I’m the cruel child he tried to portray me as.

“He went as far to say that he would, ‘play dirty,’ and, ‘up his game,’– it was all just a big joke to him, and he belittled everything that I did.

“Therefore, I decided to go to the police in an attempt to try and get some justice for what my ‘dad’ had done. It’s been the worst year of our lives, and it felt like this torture would never end. But with my mum, brother and my mum’s side of the family’s support, we’ve been able to stick together and push through this.

“What has happened to me will stay with me and affect me for the rest of my life, but now he has been sentenced I finally have some justice for what he did to me. I hope that my story will encourage other children to come forward if they have suffered abuse by anyone.

“You may be frightened that you won’t be believed, and you may have some people against you, but the police will always believe you and support you, and you shouldn’t have to deal with what has happened to you on your own.

“I never thought in a million years I would tell anyone, and that ‘dad’ would be sentenced, but here I am, so if I can do it, so can you.”

If you are a victim of child abuse telephone Childline on 0800 1111 or Suffolk Constabulary on 101.