My dad's abuse was uncovered after a burglar stole his laptop and found indecent images

A woman who was sexually abused by her father has described how a burglary at her parents' home helped bring him to justice.

Lizzie Jones, 49, started being abused by her father, David Terrence Pethig, when she was four years old.

She didn't tell anyone what happened to her, until a burglar discovered that Pethig had thousands of child abuse images on his laptop and reported him to the police.

Pethig admitted charges of making indecent images and possessing indecent images and video, but was spared a prison sentence.

Lizzie, from Wrexham, then decided to tell her mum about the abuse, who encouraged her to contact the police.

Warning: This article contains details of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Lizzie grew up at home with her father, Pethig, as well as her mother and younger brother.

When she was four, Pethig began to sexually abuse her.

She said her mother would often be out of the house working long hours, and Pethig would threaten to hurt her mum and stop her from seeing her again if she ever told anyone what he had done.

"I wanted to tell my mum for years and years, and I just couldn't bring myself to tell her," said Lizzie.

The abuse continued until Lizzie was 15.

In 2011, her parents got divorced after a burglary at their home uncovered Pethig's laptop contained more than 8,500 images of child sexual abuse.

Pethig was reported to the police by the burglar who had stolen the laptop.

He admitted 17 charges of making indecent images and two of possessing indecent images and video, but was spared a prison sentence.

It was after this that Lizzie, then 42, decided to tell her mother what her father had done to her.

"My mum swore and she said 'are you strong enough to tell the police?' and I said 'yes let's do it'," said Lizzie.

"The police came straight around [and] it went to the CID [Criminal Investigation Department].

"My mum always knew there was something wrong about him.

"She said to me she wouldn't have let nothing happened to me if she had known.

"But when you are a kid you believe when your father says [that] you will never see your mother again."

In February 2023, Pethig was charged with 15 indecent assaults, three rapes, an assault by penetration and attempting to commit a serious sexual assault.

Pethig pleaded guilty and was handed a custodial sentence of 18 years, plus a 12-month extended licence period.

"Mum died just before the court case so she's never seen what happened," said Lizzie.

"I have got all I wanted.

"I've got him locked up but it doesn't take away all the memories."

Lizzie said despite feeling like she had justice, she still lives with the trauma of what happened.

"It's been hard to me. I have written poetry books about the abuse," she said.

"Now I've started therapy and hopefully that will help the night terrors."

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, details of organisations which can provide help and support is available at BBC Action Line.