At just 12 years old, Shania-Leigh Wade should have been enjoying her childhood. Instead, her early years were overshadowed by abuse at the hands of her uncle, James Cordner. Over the course of three years, Cordner subjected Shania-Leigh to repeated sexual offences while she was entrusted to babysit her cousin, with the abuse often occurring during visits when her aunt was out.
Cordner threatened the young girl to ensure her silence, but the abuse finally stopped when Shania-Leigh became pregnant at 15. Now 27 and a mother of four, including a 12-year-old daughter, Shania-Leigh has found the courage to speak out publicly to help others facing similar trauma.
After reporting the abuse, Cordner was charged with multiple counts of child rape and sexual assault. He stood trial at Birmingham Crown Court in 2016, where he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to 24 years in prison. A further conviction in 2023 for assaulting another child resulted in an additional three-year sentence. Cordner is currently incarcerated at Whatton Prison and will be eligible for parole in May 2030.
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Despite the clear signs during the abuse, no one had suspected Cordner at the time. Shania-Leigh recalls how her grandmother later expressed regret for not recognising the signs earlier. The trauma severely affected her education, causing her school attendance to drop drastically as she struggled to face daily life.
It was only after the birth of her first child that she disclosed the abuse, initially confiding in a health visitor who then informed her family. The emotional toll continued long after Cordner’s imprisonment, with Shania-Leigh experiencing severe mental health struggles and multiple suicide attempts.
Through counselling, she has worked towards healing and now feels strong enough to seek contact with her abuser. She hopes for answers to understand his motivations and to assert that she is no longer the vulnerable child he once harmed.
Shania-Leigh calls on others who have experienced abuse to speak out and seek help, emphasising the importance of breaking the silence and reporting such crimes to protect oneself and others.