A victim of convicted child sex offender Michael Griffiths has spoken out for the first time about her harrowing ordeal.

The girl, who was a child when Griffiths sexually assaulted her, has revealed how the trauma continues to devastate her life. "I knew it was wrong," she said. "I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't tell anyone for a year. My behaviour was off and I was stressed. I couldn't tell anyone why; I just said it was school."

Griffiths, 34, from Tameside, was jailed for 11 years and three months in October 2023 for 17 counts of sexual activity with a child. The victim described how the assaults occurred over several years, leaving her feeling frozen and powerless.

"[During one assault] I just froze. I didn't know what to do. I did want to tell people. He probably got more comfortable after he realised I wouldn't say anything. It made me feel disgusted; it was revolting and I couldn't do anything about it," she said.

The victim, who spoke to the Manchester Evening News, explained the lasting impact of the assaults on her life, from relationships to her school grades. "It's affected literally everything," she said. "My school grades did drop a bit because of him. I don't think I can ever look at anyone and not think they have malicious thoughts. I don't think I can ever fully trust a person again because of it."

Despite the trauma, the victim is finding strength and hope. "I'm doing a lot better than when it came out and when it happened," she said. "I feel like I've come to accept it now. I know I can't change it and it wasn't my fault and there's nothing I can do about it now. It belongs in the past. Now I just do what I can to move on."