THE MAN I LOVED WAS A PAEDOPHILE

Mum-of-four Lucy* learnt a horrifying secret that was to shatter her whole family forever

- MISHAAL KHAN, JACK FALBER

Calling my kids from the living room for dinner for the third time, I could tell they were completely ignoring me. They were having far too much of a good time glued to the TV, playing on the PlayStation with my partner Paul*, and though I should have been annoyed that their fish fingers and chips were getting cold, I couldn’t help but smile.

It was 2005, and Paul and I had been together for a few years since meeting as neighbours. A single mum to my two children, I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but Paul was friendly, kind and great with my kids, too, which was a huge bonus.

Paul was a dad himself and had a son, Oliver*, then one. He had Paul’s smile and was cheeky, just like his dad. We looked after Oliver a few days a week while his mum went to work, and sometimes he came to spend the weekend with us, too. Paul adored him and always helped to look after him, and I made an effort to make sure Oliver was part of our family.

Then, in 2007, Paul and I had a baby of our own, followed by a second the following year. By now, I’d developed a close relationship with Oliver and treated him just like one of my own. He was a lovely little boy, full of energy, and we loved having him over. I got to know his mum, too, and although there were occasional difficulties with communication, we all worked hard to make things work as a family.

Then, one evening in December 2016, when Oliver, then 12, was at his mum’s, Paul and I had just snuggled up on the sofa to watch TV when there was a knock at the door. Paul got up to answer it, and I heard a deep, stern voice.