Megan O'Brien, now 26, has bravely spoken out about the years of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her step-grandfather, Paul Mundy. The abuse began when she was just seven years old in 2007, after a school incident where she banged her head and needed to be collected early. Mundy, who had married Megan's grandmother before she was born and lived in the family home with Megan, her mother, and siblings, picked her up and took her to the bathroom, claiming he would help her shower. There, he began touching her inappropriately.
Abuse in Plain Sight
The abuse continued for years, escalating in severity, and only stopped when Megan was 15 and began dating someone, which made her realize that Mundy's actions were wrong. She reported the abuse to the police at age 20, but it took another six years for the case to reach court. Mundy, 71, was found guilty of 24 counts of rape and sexual assault against four women, including seven counts of sexual assault against Megan, and was jailed for 31 years earlier this year.
Megan described how the abuse often occurred while she sat on his knee watching the TV show Coronation Street, with his hand down her pyjama bottoms, undetected by family members. 'I still struggle if Coronation Street is on TV, it sends me straight back to when I was sat on his knee,' she said. 'He was so confident and calm during the abuse as he knew he could get away with it. The fact he brazenly did it with family around showed how sick he was.'
Normalized Abuse
Sheffield Crown Court heard that Megan initially believed his actions were 'normal,' and he would give her money to keep her quiet. The abuse happened at least twice a week at its worst. Mundy had his own armchair positioned side-on, tilted away from the family sofa, allowing him to abuse Megan while facing her family. 'I would be in my pyjamas sat on his lap facing towards my family, and he would have his hands down my trousers,' she said. 'I didn't say anything to anyone as being at such a young age I didn't know what he was doing was wrong.'
When Megan was eight, Mundy moved out but continued to visit most weekends, and the abuse escalated to aggressive touching and groping. When she was 11, he forced her hands down his trousers. 'He was so aggressive he would occasionally rip the zips trying to take off my jeans,' she recalled. 'Then before he would go he would leave the money on the coffee table and leave a £20 note or give it to me on his way out.'
Speaking Out and Justice
The abuse left Megan struggling, but she eventually told her mother, Julie Wright, 57, in September 2020 while at university in Leicester. Julie supported her decision to go to the police. Despite the Crown Prosecution Service initially saying there was insufficient evidence, Megan persisted, and Mundy was eventually charged. Three other women also came forward with abuse claims, leading to his trial and conviction on May 15.
'It has been the longest, most drawn-out process of my life, but I am very pleased with the outcome,' Megan said. 'To be believed by 12 strangers was such a relief.' She is now in a relationship and is 'healing and learning' that not everyone acts as her step-grandfather did. Waiving her right to anonymity, she hopes other victims know they are not alone.
