ROGER ROULLIER'S HORRIFIC ABUSE IN GARSTON: VICTIMS BREAK SILENCE TO SEEK JUSTICE

In a courageous move to shed light on a dark chapter of their lives, a brother and sister from Garston, Ian and Wendy Roullier, have publicly waived their legal right to anonymity to encourage other victims of sexual abuse to come forward and seek justice.

During the 1980s, while residing on Boundary Way in Garston, Ian and Wendy endured years of horrific abuse inflicted by their father, Roger Roullier. The trauma from these events has left deep scars on both siblings, affecting their mental health and life choices well into adulthood. However, their decision to confront their past by reporting the abuse and seeing their father brought to justice has provided them with a sense of relief and a measure of closure.

The abuse began after their mother left the family home following her separation from Roger Roullier, a lorry driver. Wendy, now 38, recalls that the abuse started when she was approximately nine years old. It initially involved her father inappropriately touching her, gradually escalating over the years to acts of rape. She vividly remembers feeling overwhelmed with fear and despair, crying inside and wishing for the suffering to end. Despite recognizing that what was happening was wrong, she was plagued by fears that no one would believe her if she confided in others.

This traumatic experience severely impacted Wendy’s education. She was once a bright student at Francis Combe School, showing promising academic potential. However, the ongoing abuse and emotional turmoil caused her to become truant, eventually dropping out of school early. At the age of 14, Wendy made the desperate decision to run away from home. She spent a night sleeping under a temporary structure at a construction site in Abbots Langley. Her subsequent attempt to seek help led her to a local video shop, where the owner contacted the police. Officers responded promptly, collecting her and taking her to her mother’s residence in Berkhamsted. Despite this intervention, Wendy chose not to disclose the abuse to the police at that time, fearing disbelief and stigma. She later moved in permanently with her mother and her mother’s partner, which effectively ended the abuse from her father.

Ian, now 35 and working as a freelance music journalist, also suffered abuse at around age 11. The siblings first discussed their shared experiences during a family holiday in their late teens, when Wendy was in her late teens and Ian in his mid-teens. Over time, they both moved away from Watford—Ian to Surbiton near London and Wendy to Milton Keynes—and severed contact with their father.

The issue of revealing their abuse resurfaced in 2009 when Wendy confided in her then-partner about her father’s actions. Her partner reported the matter to the police. At that time, Wendy was not emotionally prepared to face the ordeal publicly, but Hertfordshire Constabulary assured her and Ian that they could return to the authorities when they felt ready. It was only in the following year that both siblings decided to pursue legal action and formally report their cases to the police.

On July 6, 2012, Roger Roullier, aged 60 and residing on Gammons Lane in Garston, was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison at St Albans Crown Court. The charges included rape, indecent assault, and indecency with a child, relating specifically to Wendy. Roullier denied the charge of indecency with a child concerning Ian. However, since he had already admitted to serious offenses involving Wendy, the Crown Prosecution Service chose not to pursue the charge related to Ian, leaving it on file without proceeding to trial.

Following the sentencing, both Ian and Wendy expressed a profound sense of relief and liberation. Ian described the experience as a release from years of pent-up stress, stating, “The feeling was just one of relief. It is hard to say feeling happy as it is such a horrible thing you wish had never happened. It’s like all this stress that has built up over years and years and years, now at least you can let go and come to terms with it a bit more.”

Wendy echoed these sentiments, describing the moment as “a massive release” and “a big, big relief.”

Encouraging other victims to come forward, Ian emphasized the importance of justice and the positive impact it can have on survivors’ lives. He said, “It is no magic wand but it has had a massive effect on mine and my sister’s life as it is like a new start. We don’t have to let this get us down as justice has been done and he is where he belongs.”

He also urged victims, especially in Hertfordshire where specialized units exist, to take the brave step of reporting abuse, despite how daunting and frightening it may seem. “As daunting and as scary as it maybe, it is definitely worth doing,” he concluded, highlighting the importance of breaking the silence and seeking justice for past abuses.