My husband drugged and raped me from 15 – I only realised what he’d done when I got pregnant
A mother of four has revealed how she was drugged and raped by her husband from the age of 15 – only realizing what he had done when she discovered she was pregnant.
Tina O’Brien, 54, from the West Midlands, met her ex-partner Frederick Allchorne, 62, in 1984 when she moved into her father’s home.
A few months after living with Frederick, Tina’s father left for work, leaving her with the Allchhorne family.
Tina explained, “Frederick really intimidated me. He had a temper and always got into fights with his mates.’
During her father’s work trip, Frederick – who was 23 at the time – offered to make Tina a Pot Noodle while his mother slept in the next room.
Tina had two children with Frederick and left him when she was 21 years old – she fled with her children to a women’s shelter
In June 2022, Allchhorne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, five counts of deliberately administering an intoxicating or overpowering drug, five counts of indecent assault against a woman over 16, and one count of bigamy.
After accepting his offer, the 15-year-old blacked out and woke up struggling to remember anything.
She said, “I didn’t know what was happening. After that, Frederick made me a Pot Noodle regularly and every time I lost consciousness.
“When I woke up, my genitals hurt.”
Months later, Tina stopped having her period and found out she was pregnant after going to her GP.
She said, “I had no idea how I got pregnant because I had never had sex.”
Though Tina feared that Frederick was her baby’s father, she was too afraid to question him.
Five months into her pregnancy, Frederick demanded that Tina take some tablets that would make her feel “horny.”
When the 15-year-old refused, he offered her a cup of tea instead.
Tina O’Brien, 54, from the West Midlands, pictured a few months after giving birth to her first child with Frederick Allchhorne
Tina pictured with her daughter when she was 16 years old
She said, “The tea tasted nasty, like medicine. Before I knew it, I woke up outside, my words slurred.
“When I asked Frederick what happened, he said I had a bad dream. I believed him.’
Tina gave birth to the couple’s daughter when she was 16 years old and the couple got married six months later.
However, Frederick used the name ‘Ricky’ during the ceremony – he insisted it was because he didn’t like his nickname.
After their marriage, Frederick continued to drug and rape Tina. In 1986, she was rushed to hospital after her tongue rolled down her throat.
Doctors at St. Helier Hospital confirmed that the mother’s symptoms were consistent with the effects of mind-altering drugs.
“I knew Frederick was responsible,” Tina said. “But he tried to convince me that the blackouts were all in my mind.”
Tina, now 53, was photographed in March this year. The mother of four says she was encouraged to go to the police by a previous partner
Tina in the photo at the age of 22. It took her 30 years to get justice for what Allchhorne did to her
When she was 18 years old, Tina broke into the bathroom closet that Frederick had always kept locked.
She said: ‘I found drugs, handcuffs and naked pictures of myself. I couldn’t believe it and flushed the drugs down the toilet.’
However, Frederick insisted that he had never done anything Tina wouldn’t allow. The teen was too scared to question him further.
The couple had another child together and Frederick continued to secretly drug Tina.
But in September 1991, Tina – who was 21 – fled with their children to a women’s shelter when Frederick was out of the house.
The mother explained, “I have contacted a lawyer to get a divorce.
“They told me I wasn’t legally married to Frederick because he was already married to someone else. I could not believe it.’
A few years later, Tina was encouraged to go to the police after confiding in a new partner about the abuse she endured.
However, the first officer she spoke to said there was not enough evidence and could not take her case further.
For five years, Tina fought in court to prevent Allchhorne from seeing their children.
When Tina first went to the police she was told there was not enough evidence to charge Frederick with the crimes
Tina imagined being abused at the age of 17 by the man she thought was her husband
In 2009, Tina – who was 40 at the time – was called as a witness against Frederick, who was accused of molesting children.
She continued, “An officer visited me to take my statement and I confessed to everything Frederick had done to me.
But he said there was nothing that could be done. I felt used and angry that I wasn’t getting justice.”
Despite her best efforts to move on, Tina suffered from extreme panic attacks.
In August 2018, she referred herself to a rape crisis center and her therapist helped her contact the police again. Frederick was arrested but denied all charges.
However, in June 2022, Allchhorne pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, five counts of knowingly administering an intoxicating or overpowering drug, five counts of indecent assault on a woman over 16, and one count of bigamy.
In February this year he was sentenced to 22 years in prison at Croydon Crown Court.
Tina said, “Now I hope to rebuild my life. If you’ve been abused, don’t suffer in silence.
“My voice has been heard and so has yours. Frederick’s abuse has destroyed my entire life.
“I want other survivors to know that no matter how much time has passed, you can still get justice.”