Chloe Hadjimatheou

I probably have. I was always with you guys.

I probably have. I was always with you guys.

Like I said, everyone thought they looked cool back then. So Mark asks Gareth whether he'll speak to me and... Hi, Chloe, how are you doing?

Like I said, everyone thought they looked cool back then. So Mark asks Gareth whether he'll speak to me and... Hi, Chloe, how are you doing?

The voice on the other end's a bit rougher than I expected, but it's also thoughtful and intelligent.

The voice on the other end's a bit rougher than I expected, but it's also thoughtful and intelligent.

Gareth tells me that for a long time he found it difficult to pin down the harm this relationship caused. He thought of himself as a lucky boy. But one day the relationship ended. The teacher just walked away. And when she did, his whole life fell apart. By the time he was 16, he was homeless, and by 23, he'd tried to kill himself several times.

Gareth tells me that for a long time he found it difficult to pin down the harm this relationship caused. He thought of himself as a lucky boy. But one day the relationship ended. The teacher just walked away. And when she did, his whole life fell apart. By the time he was 16, he was homeless, and by 23, he'd tried to kill himself several times.

Much later in life, he realised he needed to process what happened to him. As I listen, I can feel the anger sitting just under the surface.

Much later in life, he realised he needed to process what happened to him. As I listen, I can feel the anger sitting just under the surface.

Truth be told, he almost instantly regretted his decision. He still had lots of warm feelings towards her, still thought of her as his first real love. It wasn't really revenge he was after, more a general acknowledgement of the harm he'd suffered as a result. But then, one after another, the people he'd considered solid witnesses denied being aware of the relationship. And the teacher?

Truth be told, he almost instantly regretted his decision. He still had lots of warm feelings towards her, still thought of her as his first real love. It wasn't really revenge he was after, more a general acknowledgement of the harm he'd suffered as a result. But then, one after another, the people he'd considered solid witnesses denied being aware of the relationship. And the teacher?

She denied ever having any kind of sexual contact with him. Gareth knows what happened between him and his teacher. He tells me he's sure of it. Those events are seared into his memory. And the fact that no one wants to talk about it now, well, it's like the entire cast of his childhood all gaslighting him at the same time. So now he's gone from being hesitant to being on a crusade.

She denied ever having any kind of sexual contact with him. Gareth knows what happened between him and his teacher. He tells me he's sure of it. Those events are seared into his memory. And the fact that no one wants to talk about it now, well, it's like the entire cast of his childhood all gaslighting him at the same time. So now he's gone from being hesitant to being on a crusade.

So what do you want to get out of this?

So what do you want to get out of this?

The truth is a good starting point for me too. But also, why are people so reluctant to talk? And why was this teacher allowed to have sex with a child without ever facing any consequences? Could it have something to do with the fact that the abuser in this case was an attractive woman? I'm Chloe Hadjimotheou, and from Tortoise, this is Lucky Boy. Episode one, Gareth. It's 1986.

The truth is a good starting point for me too. But also, why are people so reluctant to talk? And why was this teacher allowed to have sex with a child without ever facing any consequences? Could it have something to do with the fact that the abuser in this case was an attractive woman? I'm Chloe Hadjimotheou, and from Tortoise, this is Lucky Boy. Episode one, Gareth. It's 1986.

We still get our music news from magazines like Smash Hits and Melody Maker. And every Thursday evening, we're glued to Top of the Pops on TV to see who's leading in the charts. The nightly comedy offering on the BBC is Benny Hill chasing big-breasted half-naked women around parks.

We still get our music news from magazines like Smash Hits and Melody Maker. And every Thursday evening, we're glued to Top of the Pops on TV to see who's leading in the charts. The nightly comedy offering on the BBC is Benny Hill chasing big-breasted half-naked women around parks.