Kaitlin pictured aged nine - Heart pounding, Kaitlin Womack stared in shock at a Facebook post on her phone. In that moment, a horrifying memory from her childhood came flooding back. It was 2016, and her former neighbour, Kert Birtwistle, 29, had been convicted of child sexual offences. Seeing his face on her screen knocked Kaitlin, 25, for six. Because what nobody knew was that she’d been harbouring an awful secret since the age of nine. Birtwistle had subjected Kaitlin to three sickening sexual assaults while she played at his house as a child, including touching her privates under her swimming costume. Three years later, in 2019, Kaitlin, from Preston, reported Birtwistle to the police. When she did, six other victims also bravely came forward. In October 2024, Birtwistle, from Blackpool, was convicted of 14 charges, including rape and sexual assault. He was jailed for 12 years at Preston Crown Court. His brother, Jordan Wright, 28, also pleaded guilty to 18 sexual offences and was jailed for over 16 years. Now, Kaitlin is courageously waiving her right to anonymity to help encourage other survivors to report their abusers to the police.
Fetching a tiny carrot and a head-shaped snowball, a red squirrel builds the perfect snowman .
SAT with his arms folded and a cross look on his face, this Gorilla looks like he's had enough of the Christmas holidays already .
SWIMMING slowly towards the shore, a small group of bottlenose dolphins arrive for breakfast at a beach in Western Australia .
TRYING their best to wriggle away, three adorable tiger cubs receive their health checks at Chester Zoo .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
A pair of chicks bravely decided to befriend a python, despite being the snake's favourite choice of food .
A photographer has travelled the length of the UK capturing lighthouses and their picturesque surroundings .
EAGERLY BITING his nails, this little squirrel is clearly nervous of looming predators as he searches for his meal .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
LUMINOUS green rocks could easily be a beach from Superman's homeland of Krypton .
An adorable orangutan named Pongo celebrates his first birthday at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, America .
