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Hailey's Story
The name Ian Huntley is one synonymous with pure evil. Convicted of one of the most horrific and baffling crimes ever witnessed by the nation - the brutal murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman - it was only after his conviction that the horrific nature of this man's predatory past became apparent. It was only when it was too late that many girls and women stepped forward to reveal that they, too, had been victims of this terrifying man.
One such woman is Hailey Giblin, who was just eleven years old when she had the tragic misfortune of encountering Huntley. Having persuaded young Hailey to go for a walk with him, he then brutally assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what had happened. When the truth eventually came out, Huntley was questioned but released without charge.
The attack, and the subsequent release of Huntley, left deep scars on Hailey and in desperation she turned to drugs to numb the pain. The ramifications of the failure to stop this sexual predator have been devastating, both for Hailey herself and on a larger scale. When Hailey heard that the Soham caretaker had been arrested for the murders of Holly and Jessica, her nightmare at his hands came flooding back to her.
In this heart-rending book, Hailey tells her own story in her own words. She describes the terror she felt during and after the attack, and how she bravely struggled to come to rems with what had happened to her. She recounts the desperation and frustration she felt as she grew increasingly more isolated from those around her and how she began to harm herself as a means of escape from her suffering.
This is the story of a girl who, despite, having been robbed of her childhood innocence, eventually managed to rebuild her life. Now, with a blossoming career in modelling, Hailey is moving on. Withe the inquiry on Huntley's attack on her drawing to a close, she will be able to finally leave the past where it belongs. But she will never forget ...
One such woman is Hailey Giblin, who was just eleven years old when she had the tragic misfortune of encountering Huntley. Having persuaded young Hailey to go for a walk with him, he then brutally assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what had happened. When the truth eventually came out, Huntley was questioned but released without charge.
The attack, and the subsequent release of Huntley, left deep scars on Hailey and in desperation she turned to drugs to numb the pain. The ramifications of the failure to stop this sexual predator have been devastating, both for Hailey herself and on a larger scale. When Hailey heard that the Soham caretaker had been arrested for the murders of Holly and Jessica, her nightmare at his hands came flooding back to her.
In this heart-rending book, Hailey tells her own story in her own words. She describes the terror she felt during and after the attack, and how she bravely struggled to come to rems with what had happened to her. She recounts the desperation and frustration she felt as she grew increasingly more isolated from those around her and how she began to harm herself as a means of escape from her suffering.
This is the story of a girl who, despite, having been robbed of her childhood innocence, eventually managed to rebuild her life. Now, with a blossoming career in modelling, Hailey is moving on. Withe the inquiry on Huntley's attack on her drawing to a close, she will be able to finally leave the past where it belongs. But she will never forget ...
- GenresTrue Crime
262 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
91 people want to read
About the author
Hailey Giblin
3 books2 followersHailey Giblin was just 11 years old when she had the misfortune of meeting Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer. He brutally assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done.
Hailey has fought to have Huntley prosecuted for this, which she succeeded in making happen in a civil case when Huntley admitted this from his prison cell.
Ms Giblin has gone on to fight for justice for others since this and ;ives with her husband and family in England.
Hailey has fought to have Huntley prosecuted for this, which she succeeded in making happen in a civil case when Huntley admitted this from his prison cell.
Ms Giblin has gone on to fight for justice for others since this and ;ives with her husband and family in England.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 13, 2017
Hailey Giblin was just 11 years old when she had the misfortune of meeting, via a family friend, Ian Huntley, who some years later became the Soham murderer.
Hailey had a difficult upbringing, her mother and father had separated, and she was brought up, along with three brothers, two older, one younger, by her mother with assistance from her grandfather, who she greatly admired and regularly went to for help and advice. One of her comments, 'Despite the lack of family cohesion, everyone lived in comparative harmony with one another,' shows what she thought of her home life.
But her mother did try to keep her on the right track and refused to let her leave their street without the presence of an adult. She often popped round to one of her friend's houses and that is where a certain Ian Huntley was lodging.
One day she went round and her friend was out but but Huntley was at home. He lured her into the house and then chatted in a seemingly friendly way with her. This eventually resulted in him asking her if she wanted to climb some trees nearby but Hailey said that she could not leave the street without an adult. She gradually weakened on the premise that Huntley was (a) an adult and (b) a friend of her friend and was known to her family.
When Huntley got her into some woods, he brutally sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done. She was devastated and on the way back home, with Huntley, she managed to make her escape from him. She went in and tried to cleanse herself, using bleach of all things, but the stigma of what happened pulled her down. When she could cope no more without telling anyone, she told her mother of her ordeal. The police and social services were called in and Huntley was questioned, but, amazingly, was released without charge due to lack of evidence. - despite Hailey's categoric and detailed statement of what had happened.
Hailey sadly resorted to drugs to try to obliterate her memory and for quite a time she was on a downward spiral. Then she met an older man, Colin, who at first kept his distance because he was unsure of Hailey's age; Hailey eventually told him an untruth about that so that he would not dismiss her from his life. And he did not do so and their friendship grew stronger, so much so that Hailey eventually left home and moved in with him. They were later to marry and have a successful life together.
Then Hailey learned of the arrest of Huntley for the Soham murders and her nightmare, which had never truly gone away and about which she, quite rightly, continues to seek some retribution, came flooding back to her. And in particular it raised the questions of why police forces and social services, alerted on numerous occasions to Huntley's serious peccadilloes, did nothing to prevent him from continuing his reign of terror on young girls. Hailey has very strong views on who was responsible for these inactions and makes no bones of naming them in her story.
This is very much a heart-rending book in which Hailey tells her story in her own words. She bravely tells how, despite having been robbed of her childhood, she has fought to recover, and has done so magnificently, from this tragic event.
Hailey had a difficult upbringing, her mother and father had separated, and she was brought up, along with three brothers, two older, one younger, by her mother with assistance from her grandfather, who she greatly admired and regularly went to for help and advice. One of her comments, 'Despite the lack of family cohesion, everyone lived in comparative harmony with one another,' shows what she thought of her home life.
But her mother did try to keep her on the right track and refused to let her leave their street without the presence of an adult. She often popped round to one of her friend's houses and that is where a certain Ian Huntley was lodging.
One day she went round and her friend was out but but Huntley was at home. He lured her into the house and then chatted in a seemingly friendly way with her. This eventually resulted in him asking her if she wanted to climb some trees nearby but Hailey said that she could not leave the street without an adult. She gradually weakened on the premise that Huntley was (a) an adult and (b) a friend of her friend and was known to her family.
When Huntley got her into some woods, he brutally sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done. She was devastated and on the way back home, with Huntley, she managed to make her escape from him. She went in and tried to cleanse herself, using bleach of all things, but the stigma of what happened pulled her down. When she could cope no more without telling anyone, she told her mother of her ordeal. The police and social services were called in and Huntley was questioned, but, amazingly, was released without charge due to lack of evidence. - despite Hailey's categoric and detailed statement of what had happened.
Hailey sadly resorted to drugs to try to obliterate her memory and for quite a time she was on a downward spiral. Then she met an older man, Colin, who at first kept his distance because he was unsure of Hailey's age; Hailey eventually told him an untruth about that so that he would not dismiss her from his life. And he did not do so and their friendship grew stronger, so much so that Hailey eventually left home and moved in with him. They were later to marry and have a successful life together.
Then Hailey learned of the arrest of Huntley for the Soham murders and her nightmare, which had never truly gone away and about which she, quite rightly, continues to seek some retribution, came flooding back to her. And in particular it raised the questions of why police forces and social services, alerted on numerous occasions to Huntley's serious peccadilloes, did nothing to prevent him from continuing his reign of terror on young girls. Hailey has very strong views on who was responsible for these inactions and makes no bones of naming them in her story.
This is very much a heart-rending book in which Hailey tells her story in her own words. She bravely tells how, despite having been robbed of her childhood, she has fought to recover, and has done so magnificently, from this tragic event.
November 10, 2023
An absolute rag. I was pretty disgusted with some of the comments in the book on Holly and Jessica themselves: "When he enticed Holly and Jessica into his caretaker's house, I reckon they scratched and kicked and screamed to get away, whereas I cowered in the corner begging for my life. In my opinion, Huntley sexually abused those girls.".
Just more evidence of shameless exploitation of herself and of those poor girls by Hailey Giblin. The book is poorly written, with long, rambling passages on Huntley's exploits, obviously taken from some police report and loosely fitted into the story with very little alteration.
Just more evidence of shameless exploitation of herself and of those poor girls by Hailey Giblin. The book is poorly written, with long, rambling passages on Huntley's exploits, obviously taken from some police report and loosely fitted into the story with very little alteration.
September 28, 2009
Didn't like it at all. I do not understand by the life of me how this book can have 5 stars out of 5 reviews on UK Amazon. It starts out decent but then it gets so weird. Ramblings that take forever, jumping from here to there, no I did not like it. Weird book. Finished this morning. (middle of the night)
August 19, 2012
I don't really know what to say about this one. The story was moving but the writing was very choppy and all over the place. The story would be being told but then suddenly you found yourself reading a rant out of nowhere. Okay for a one time read, I wouldn't read it again or pay money for it.
January 2, 2012
i really didnt like this book at all.....
October 1, 2017
it is a great book, i found it hard to put down myself.
March 31, 2023
Good read
June 14, 2021
Story Description:
Hailey Giblin was just 11 years old when she had the misfortune of meeting Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer. He brutally assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done, but she eventually told her mother of her ordeal. Huntley was questioned, but released without charge due to lack of evidence. When Hailey learned of the arrest of Huntley for the Soham murders, her nightmare came flooding back to her. In this heart-rending book, Hailey tells her story in her own words. She bravely tells how, despite having been robbed of her childhood, she has fought to recover from this tragic event.
My Thoughts:
I was only 14 when Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman were murdered by the evil Ian Huntley. I still remember all the intensive media coverage it brought at the time. It was constantly on the news & was front page in all the newspapers. It was what everyone was talking about at the time. Plenty of people cursed Huntley up & down. Parents started becoming more over-protective over their kids. And everyone wanted justice for the two little girls.
When I saw this book in my local library, I was shocked. I had absolutely no idea that Huntley had other victims. I knew I had to take it home with me & read Hailey’s Story.
I’m really quite torn about it to be honest. In one sense, Hailey’s story is shocking, intriguing & moving. However, I wasn’t too keen on her writing style at all. It was like she would tell her story & then go into a rant or put in some unnecessary facts & this was quite off-putting. But saying that, I am glad I read it! It really gives you an inkling of what Huntley is really like. (And boy, the guy disgusts me - he is pure evil!) I also like how Hailey is challenging some of Britain’s laws now & how she’s managed to rebuild her life.
And on another note, RIP Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman x x
Hailey Giblin was just 11 years old when she had the misfortune of meeting Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer. He brutally assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone what he had done, but she eventually told her mother of her ordeal. Huntley was questioned, but released without charge due to lack of evidence. When Hailey learned of the arrest of Huntley for the Soham murders, her nightmare came flooding back to her. In this heart-rending book, Hailey tells her story in her own words. She bravely tells how, despite having been robbed of her childhood, she has fought to recover from this tragic event.
My Thoughts:
I was only 14 when Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman were murdered by the evil Ian Huntley. I still remember all the intensive media coverage it brought at the time. It was constantly on the news & was front page in all the newspapers. It was what everyone was talking about at the time. Plenty of people cursed Huntley up & down. Parents started becoming more over-protective over their kids. And everyone wanted justice for the two little girls.
When I saw this book in my local library, I was shocked. I had absolutely no idea that Huntley had other victims. I knew I had to take it home with me & read Hailey’s Story.
I’m really quite torn about it to be honest. In one sense, Hailey’s story is shocking, intriguing & moving. However, I wasn’t too keen on her writing style at all. It was like she would tell her story & then go into a rant or put in some unnecessary facts & this was quite off-putting. But saying that, I am glad I read it! It really gives you an inkling of what Huntley is really like. (And boy, the guy disgusts me - he is pure evil!) I also like how Hailey is challenging some of Britain’s laws now & how she’s managed to rebuild her life.
And on another note, RIP Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman x x
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews