When Jennifer Bentley was just 13 years old, she lost her father to prostate cancer.
As she entered her teens, the Liverpool schoolgirl and her mother were in a state of grief and didn’t have many people to turn to, until an old family friend reached out.
Raymond Andrews, then in his forties, was a partner of a friend of Jennifer’s mother.
At first he seemed to be helping her mourn her father, but within months he confessed that he “liked me” before beginning a horrific campaign of abuse and rape.
When a family member became suspicious of her behavior, Andrews told Jennifer to lie to the police.
It wasn’t until 2020 that Jennifer felt strong enough to report him.
In June 2024, Andrews was found guilty of two counts of rape and six counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl between the ages of 13 and 15. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court.
Jennifer, now 24, has bravely given up her anonymity to help other survivors of sexual abuse.
Jennifer Bentley, from Liverpool, was mourning the death of her father when Raymond Andrews, 57, began abusing her. Above: 14-year-old Jennifer and Raymond Andrews
Jennifer, 24 (pictured), is speaking out to help other survivors of sexual abuse.
“In February 2014, I met Mom’s friend’s partner, Ray,” Jennifer said.
“He seemed very friendly and made an effort to talk to me.
“He told me he liked my style. At the time, I enjoyed experimenting with my appearance. I had dark hair, piercings, and wore avant-garde clothing.
Jennifer and her mother only lived around the corner from the couple, often visiting regularly for dinner.
At this time, Jennifer was struggling with the loss of her father, began skipping school and smoking.
“One day when I saw Ray, he pulled me into the hallway and offered to help me,” she said.
“I found myself opening up to him about my feelings.”
In April of that year, Andrews confessed that he “liked” Jennifer and a couple of days later, he walked up behind her in the kitchen and touched her butt over her skirt.
The abuse began when Jennifer tragically lost her father to prostate cancer. Above: Jennifer as a child with her father.
Andrews was sentenced to 19 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court in June 2024.
Jennifer said: ‘He told me I looked great and then left the room.
“I felt really confused.”
Shortly after, Andrews asked Jennifer to be his girlfriend. Without wanting to offend him, he accepted.
Jennifer said: ‘Not long after, he kissed me on the lips.
“I told him I thought it was weird because he was so much older than me, but he said, ‘age is just a number.’
“Trusting him, I didn’t question him.”
A few weeks later, Andrews visited Jennifer at her home while her mother went to the store.
He took her upstairs to his room and asked her if she wanted to “do something sexual.”
Jennifer (pictured, 13) said she agreed to be Andrews’ ‘girlfriend’ because she didn’t want to offend him.
Andrews told Jennifer (pictured now) to lie to the police if they questioned her.
Jennifer said: ‘He took my clothes off and raped me.
“I told him it hurt, but he said it was supposed to hurt.
“Then he told me that he couldn’t tell anyone, that we had to wait until he was 18.”
For fear of losing him, Jennifer kept silent about the abuse. But after that, Andrews continued to take advantage of her when they were alone.
In June 2014, Jennifer’s mother allowed her to stay with him in a caravan park while she visited her nearby family.
There, Andrews paid Jennifer to have her tongue pierced.
“That night, he forced me to give him oral sex,” she said.
‘My mouth hurt a lot, but he didn’t care.
Jennifer lost her father to cancer in October 2013 and met Andrews a couple of months later. Above: Jennifer and her father.
Jennifer (pictured now) said she “cried with relief” when Andrews was jailed and said she can now begin to “slowly rebuild my life.”
“I hated what he was doing to me, but I didn’t know how to stop it.”
Shortly after, a family member suspected Andrews was abusing Jennifer and reported him to social services.
In August, Jennifer was taken into foster care and told she could no longer see Andrews.
That month he was arrested and an investigation was launched.
The officers took Jennifer’s phone and iPad, but Andrews secretly bought her a burner phone.
Jennifer said: ‘He was texting me telling me to meet him at his flat. By now he had already broken up with mom’s friend.
‘He told me to lie if the police ever questioned me.
“I did what I was told and told them that Ray had just talked to me about how I was feeling.”
In June 2015, the investigation was dropped due to lack of evidence, and over the next year, Andrews continued to secretly abuse Jennifer.
She recalls, “I hated him, but he made me feel like I needed him.”
An old friend of 16 years sent Jennifer a message on social media.
“We started talking and I started to like him,” he said.
‘I told Ray I didn’t want to be his girlfriend anymore.
“He cried and kept calling me, but I ignored him.”
Two years later, Jennifer left the foster system and she and her partner had a child together.
Their relationship ended, but Jennifer met a new partner shortly after.
“After we moved in together in October 2019, my mental health skyrocketed,” she said.
“Memories of Ray’s abuse constantly ran through my mind.
“I knew what I had done was wrong, but I couldn’t find the words to talk about it.”
In June 2020, Jennifer wrote a letter to her partner, detailing Andrews’ abuse.
He encouraged her to report him and with that, Jennifer contacted the police and Andrews was arrested. He denied the charges.
Jennifer said: ‘The investigation took years.
“Finally, four years later, the trial came and I gave evidence behind a curtain.”
Andrews was found guilty of two counts of rape and six counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl between 13 and 15 years old.
In July 2024, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court.
Jennifer says: ‘I cried with relief.
‘Ray took advantage of me after losing my father, when I was most vulnerable.
‘Preparing me and making me believe that we were a couple.
“But now his secret is out and I’m slowly rebuilding my life.”
He added: “I will never get over what he put me through, but knowing that he can’t hurt anyone else gives me comfort.”
“Other survivors should know that it is never too late to speak up.”
Andrews was also given a restraining order, Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sexual Offenders Register for life.
If you need to speak to someone, please contact The Survivors Trust free of charge on 08088 010 818 or visit their website