Gallon, also known as David Storey, began abusing one of his victims when she was just 12 years old, subjecting her to multiple sexual assaults. At first she was too frightened to report it to police but she bravely spoke out years later and an investigation was launched by Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Unit. And in 2018, a further report was made by a victim of rape with David Gallon named as the suspect. Gallon, 23, was arrested but denied the allegations put to him. But a jury at Newcastle Crown Court saw through his lies and convicted him of rape, inciting a female child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault of a girl under 13 by touching and four counts of sexual activity with a child. He also pleaded guilty to a further offence of sexual activity with a girl under 16 years. Speaking out, one of his victims spoke of her continued pain at his hands. She said: “I am a victim of abuse. Still today I don’t understand why it was me and that is a question I ask myself daily. “I am an adult now, but don’t feel like I have had the years that everyone speaks about, ‘teenage years are the best years’ so they say but for me that just is not true. “It makes me sick and embarrassed that at just 12-years-old, I had my dignity ripped from me.” The second victim added: “This male took advantage of me, my trust, my naivety and vulnerabilities and put me through an ordeal that that will have lasting effects on me for life in so many different ways. These events have impacted my everyday life, my education, my friends and my family. I have different feelings and emotions every day and trying to do what used to come easy and natural to me is now a struggle.” Gallon was sentenced last week on August 2 to 63 months imprisonment. We would like to praise the brave survivors for courageously speaking out. Gallon has shown no remorse to the victims throughout this investigation but he will now face the consequences of his actions. We hope this sends a clear message to anyone who may be suffering in silence because of abuse – we are here to help. We urge anyone who has been a victim of any sexual assault to report it and seek support.
