A BELFAST woman who was sexually abused by the man she regarded as her father said she feels her "whole life has been a lie".
The 29-year old, who was fostered by Brian Jackson and his wife as a young baby and who remained in their care until she was 18, said she felt "weird" watching the man she called 'Daddy' being sent to prison.
Speaking after Jackson was handed a three-year sentence, the mum-of-five said: "I completely adored that man, so what happened in court is really weird. On one hand I hate him for what he did to me, but on the other hand he's my Daddy and someone I looked up to."
During yesterday's sentencing remarks, Judge Kerr acknowledged the strong bond the girl had with Jackson during her years in his care and spoke of "persistent offending" against her when she was aged between 12 and 14.
The woman said: "I was shocked when I found out he'd been abusing other children, as I thought it was only me.
"I feel like my whole life has been a lie. What he did to me has had a massive effect on my relationships with other people. I don't trust anyone, I don't let my kids go out after a certain time at night, and I never allow any of them to go on sleepovers.
"I honestly felt like their daughter, and they even talked about adopting me. I know a lot of people thought that he was a respectable, church-going man, but people should know what really went on behind closed doors."
