SITTING next to her older brother, Liz Fogg watched as he turned the pages of the magazine.
Pointing to one of the images Peter Fogg, then 15, told Liz this is what “people do when they love each other.”
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In fact, he was showing her a pornographic magazine – Liz was just five years old.
It was the start of Fogg’s eight-year campaign of horrific abuse against his half-sister.
Now, Liz, 54, says she has finally been ‘validated’ after getting her abuser jailed, 38 years later.
The first time she remembers her brother, now 65, raping her was when she was around the age of seven and she was “too terrified” to tell anyone what had happened.
The abuse continued for six years until, at the age of 13, Liz “stood up” to him and said no to his attempts to sexually assault her.
Liz left home at 16 and tried to “forget” about it all – until she met her current partner, Jean Callan, and told her about the abuse.
With her support, Liz, who has waived her right to anonymity, reported the abuse in 2018 and Fogg was arrested.
Following a trial at Nightingale Court, Lowry Centre, Salford, Fogg was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, six counts of indecent assault and seven counts of gross indecency with a child.
He was sentenced to 22 years in prison at Minshull Crown Court.
Now Liz wants other victims of historical abuse to know that it’s “never too late” to get justice.
Liz, a former support worker for the NHS, from Aston Under Lyne, Manchester, said: “It’s been a long process to get here – mentally and physically.
“I spent decades blaming myself but it’s not my fault.
“This type of abuse happens so much and people don’t talk about it.
“It took me a long time to come to terms with what I’d been through.
“But I finally feel validated and believed.”
Vile abuse of trust
As a child, Liz’s half-brother Peter, who is 10-and-a-half years older than her, lived with their aunt in Denton, Manchester.
Liz said she would visit her aunt’s every three weeks during her childhood and initially had “fond” memories with her brother.
She said: “I would spend time with Peter, and we would play Top Trumps and he taught me chess.
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“I always looked forward to going there.
“I’m not sure why he didn’t live with us, I think it was closer to his secondary school, but I’m unsure.
“My family home had its problems and being at my aunt’s was my safe space.
“I think he knew that and took that away from me.”
Around 1975, when Liz was about five years old, she was visiting her aunt’s house and spending time in Fogg’s room.
Fogg showed Liz a pornographic magazine and the abuse began.
She said: “I remember everything.
“He showed me the graphic images and told me it’s what people do when they love each other.
“He asked me if I wanted to do it. I remember saying, ‘Well yes, if that’s how you love your brother’.
He stopped what he was doing, and we went back to playing Top Trumps like nothing happened
Liz Fogg
“He was my big brother and I idolised him.
“I was too young to understand what it meant.
“I remember he tried to rape me and it really hurt, and I started crying.
“He stopped what he was doing, and we went back to playing Top Trumps like nothing happened.”
Sickening twist
A few years later, when Liz was around seven years old, Fogg “forced” himself on her again – raping her for the first time.
The abuse continued for years, and Liz started to “dread” the weekend’s visiting him.
When she was aged nine, her aunt passed away and Fogg moved back into her family home, giving her no respite from his abuse.
She said: “It was horrible – I couldn’t escape him.
“He used psychological tactics, threatening to get me in trouble if I didn’t do what he wanted.
“It didn’t feel right but I was too scared to go against him.”
How to report a sexual assault
Around 1982, when Liz was around aged 13, she “stood-up” to Fogg.
From that moment on, the physical abuse stopped but Liz experienced ongoing distress and struggled to come to terms with what she had been through.
Around aged 14 she became “self-destructive” – turning to drugs and drink to cope with the trauma.
She eventually left home at 16 and tried to put it all behind her.
Liz said: “I was constantly moving around.
“I was trying to run away – escape myself and the memory of him.
“I wanted to go to the police for years, but I pushed it all down inside.”
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Loving support
Liz met her partner Jean and eventually confessed what she had been through.
“I told my partner, and she was horrified,” Liz said.
“It was the first time I felt really heard.
“She was right beside me, and asked, ‘What shall we do about this?’
“I felt ready to report him.”
With her partner’s support, Liz called 111 and went to Ashton Police Station, Manchester in 2018 to report Fogg – 35 years later.
Peter Fogg, now 65, of Denton, Manchester, was arrested and pleaded not guilty to all charges – three counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, six counts of indecent assault and seven counts of gross indecency with a child.
I spent decades blaming myself and it’s not my fault
Liz Fogg
The case went to trial in Salford, in January 2021, where he was found guilty on all charges – including two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, five counts of indecent assault and six counts of gross indecency with a child.
He was also found guilty of one charge of rape of a girl under 16, one charge of indecent assault and one charge of gross indecency – for another unnamed victim.
He was sentenced in February 2021 to 22 years in prison.
Liz said: “I went to court, and gave evidence behind a screen. It was horrendous.
“I had to recount everything I had gone through to strangers – it felt like airing my dirty laundry in public.
“I didn’t really care about him being found guilty, I just wanted him to experience the fear.
“But as it went on, I wanted him to go to prison.
“I was so shocked by the sentencing, I honestly thought he would be getting the bus home.
“The judge ripped into him.
“Leading up to it, I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing by taking this to court.
“But the outcome made me feel validated – like it was worth it.”
‘It’s never too late’
Liz is hoping by sharing her story – nearly 40 years later – that other people will find the courage to speak out and seek justice on historical cases.
She added: “I spent decades blaming myself and it’s not my fault.
“I’ve undergone counselling and mentally I’m doing much better thanks to holistic therapy and medication.
“I’ve got amazing support from Jean and my family.
“If one person can find the strength to get justice from my story, then I’ll be happy.
“It’s never too late.”
Greater Manchester Police are encouraging anyone who may be a historic victim of sexual abuse to come forward confidentially via the Greater Manchester Rape Crisis organisation on 0161 273 4500 or email help@manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk
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