Sisters' therapy breakthrough helps convict half-brother for historic child sexual abuse
After one sister reported decades-old abuse, the other used EMDR therapy to recall details that secured a 17-year prison term for their half-brother.
Nikita Dallison and Mellissa Arkwright were abused by their half-brother Adrian Austin when they were six and seven years old. Nikita reported the abuse to Greater Manchester Police in 2021, prompting investigators to approach Mellissa, who was then experiencing a mental-health crisis and could not recall the events. Mellissa entered EMDR therapy, which helped her retrieve a specific memory of the abuse, including details of the room and Austin's appearance.
That testimony, supported by an expert witness, was pivotal in the trial that resulted in Austin receiving a 17-year sentence for six rapes and several assaults committed between 1997 and 2001. The sisters have chosen to forgo their automatic anonymity, and police officials praised their courage and noted improvements in handling historic abuse cases.
Why it matters
The case shows how trauma therapy can produce vital evidence, leading to justice for historic child sexual abuse.
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