Child sex abuse survivor who was raped by her father speaks of her disgust after finding out he appealed conviction

A woman who was raped by her own father as a child has described the sickening sense of dread upon learning he was appealing the conviction.
By Susie Beever
Published 11th Jul 2019, 20:58 BST
Kim Chown was subjected to horrific abuse from her father Francis Beaumont as a teenagerKim Chown was subjected to horrific abuse from her father Francis Beaumont as a teenager
Kim Chown was subjected to horrific abuse from her father Francis Beaumont as a teenager

Abused from the age of 11, Kim Chown was subjected to a "campaign of rape" from her depraved father Francis Beaumont, who threatened to dissolve her in acid and dump her remains if she told anyone.

Former University lecturer Beaumont was jailed for 20 years for five counts of rape at Leeds Crown Court in May last year, despite lying to a jury by saying his daughter had "seduced" him.

Francis Beaumont was jailed for 20 years in May last year for five counts of rape. He recently appealed the conviction.Francis Beaumont was jailed for 20 years in May last year for five counts of rape. He recently appealed the conviction.
Francis Beaumont was jailed for 20 years in May last year for five counts of rape. He recently appealed the conviction.
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The abuse had started while the family lived in Kenya, and continued back in Leeds until she was 20-years-old. Since then Kim, now 54, has overcome battles with alcoholism stemming from when Beaumont would ply her with drinks.

As a teenager, she was forced by Beaumont to take the contraceptive pill but twice fell pregnant, resulting in her having two abortions.

But Kim, who last year waived her right to lifelong anonymity, says all efforts to move forward with her life were put on hold when she learned of the possibility Beaumont could be freed from prison earlier this year.

"I just sat there in silence not knowing what to say", Kim said, as she described the moment a detective who worked on the case called her to inform her of the appeal - just two weeks before it was due before the High Court

Kim Chown outside Leeds Crown CourtKim Chown outside Leeds Crown Court
Kim Chown outside Leeds Crown Court

Happily for Kim, the appeal was rejected.

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Depraved Leeds rapist who threatened to dissolve daughter in acid tried to claim...
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She said: "It just showed he has no remorse. He does not give a damn about me.

"No human could do what he's done."

In a further blow, Kim revealed she was never contacted by the courts to inform her of the appeal, and instead found out after a detective who had worked on the case called her to say she'd received a letter.

"I don't understand why she was informed but not me - I'm the victim", Kim added. "Once the case goes through the courts it's out of police hands."

Kim couldn't attend the court case, and was called by a BBC producer she was working with for a documentary to find out Beaumont's appeal was thrown out.

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"It was an incredible sense of relief. It was all thanks to the BBC I found out. Someone from the courts rang me a week later to let me know.

"It made me feel sick to think he could have been free to walk the streets.

"It felt like I was moving on with my life, then all of a sudden it was put on hold again."

Kim's story is documented in full in BBC Radio 4's The Untold: Life on Hold, which you can listen to here.