At 14, I Was Assaulted by My Sister’s Best Friend – My New Year’s Resolution Was to Seek Justice

AS THE clock edged closer to midnight, Samantha Clark sat in her sister’s living room, preparing for the countdown.

Her family was cosied up in pyjamas, with party games scattered across the floor, and music on in the background, ready to ring in the New Year together.

Samantha Clark confessed that she had been raped on New Year’s Eve after keeping the trauma to herself at the age of 14Credit: True Life Stories Samantha had been staying at her sister’s house when her trusted friend Jose Delgado-Leon attacked herCredit: True Life Stories

Sipping a rare glass of bubbly, the then-teenager should’ve been celebrating the end of a great year.

But behind her smile, Samantha, now 23, was hiding a dark secret. As her drink kicked in, the trauma she’d buried for the past year came rushing back.

Overwhelmed, she broke down and confessed she’d been raped. Not by a stranger, but by her older sister’s trusted friend, Jose Delgado-Leon, 27.

Samantha, who now works as a domestic housekeeper for the NHS, says: “I just couldn’t go into another New Year with this weighing on me.

“I told them something horrible happened to me. I completely broke down.”

The confession rocked her family, and sparked a police investigation that led to her rapist being jailed for nine years.

Growing up, Samantha lived with her mum and two older sisters, Sophie Clark, 27, a director, and Rebecca Clark, 34, a stay-at-home mum.

When Sophie moved into her own flat in 2016, Samantha, then aged 13, was allowed to stay over most weekends.

She says: “Although Sophie was four years older, we were like best friends. Mum always let me stay there.”

That same year, Samantha met one of Sophie’s friends, Delgado-Leon, then 19.

Samantha, from Worcestershire, says: “Jose was really funny and always joking.

“He was around all the time with Sophie’s other friends, so I got used to him being there.”

But as time went on, his behaviour towards Samantha began to change.

Samantha says: “He started making weird jokes about being with me. I didn’t really understand it, so I’d just laugh it off.

“One day I went to the toilet and when I came back he’d taken my phone. He’d taken a photo of himself and sent it to my best friend.

“The message read: ‘My new boy. He’s fit isn’t he?’ I thought it was him just being stupid and trying to be funny. I honestly didn’t realise what it really meant.”

In March 2017, when Samantha was just 14, she stayed overnight at Sophie’s flat while Sophie, her boyfriend and Delgado-Leon went out drinking.

Samantha says: “They got back around midnight and I was watching TV. Sophie and her boyfriend went to bed, but Jose stayed up.

Jose Delgado-Leon was jailed for nine yearsCredit: True Life Stories After the attack Samantha was forced to see her attacker at her sister’s houseCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk When Samantha saw Delgado-Leon in the street he claims he laughed and reduced her to tearsCredit: True Life Stories

“He said he couldn’t find his house key to go home and offered me a drink.

“I’d never drunk alcohol before, but I felt pressured, so I accepted it.”

After finishing the drink, Samantha began to feel unwell.

She says: “I stood up to go to the toilet, but I suddenly felt really woozy and fell over.

“When I opened my eyes, my trousers were down and Jose was on top of me, forcing himself on me.

“I was terrified. I honestly thought I was going to die.

“After Jose raped me, he left. I just lay there in shock. I couldn’t process what had happened.”

Too frightened to speak out, Samantha didn’t tell anyone, including her sisters.

Samantha says: “I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I was only 14 and I felt completely powerless.”

Just a week later, Samantha was forced to see Delgado-Leon again.

Samantha says: “He was back at Sophie’s flat, laughing and joking with everyone like nothing had happened.

“I was terrified and stayed out of his way.”

But the ordeal wasn’t over.

Two weeks later, Samantha was alone at the flat watching films when Delgado-Leon returned.

Samantha says: “He knocked on the door and just invited himself in. I tried to act normal, but inside I was shaking.

“He led me into Sophie’s bedroom and attacked me again. I felt completely frozen with fear.

“Afterwards, he told me not to tell anyone.”

In the months that followed, Samantha’s mental health spiralled. She struggled at school and fell into a deep depression.

Samantha says: “I felt like my childhood had been ripped away from me.

“For the next year I carried this trauma all on my own. I hid this huge secret from everyone in my life, especially my sisters who I was so close to.

“It was horrendous and weighed so heavily on me.”

Until a year after the attacks, on New Years’ Eve 2018. Samantha was celebrating at her sister Rebecca’s home with family.

Samantha says: “It was really cosy. We were playing games, listening to music and just enjoying being together.

“But as midnight approached everything I’d buried came to the surface suddenly.

“Especially after a celebratory champagne, it all came rushing back. I suddenly couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“I said, ‘Something happened to me,’ and I just broke down, confessing how Jose had raped me a year before.

“I felt bad for ruining New Year’s Eve, but I couldn’t carry this secret and pain into another year.

“Rebecca was horrified but believed me straight away. She called Sophie, and she was

furious.”

Sophie stormed Delgado-Leon’s house shortly afterwards, confronting him about attacking her young sister.

Following the confrontation, his mother contacted police which sparked an investigation. Delgado-Leon was arrested but later released on bail.

Samantha says: “A year later, Sophie and I walked past him in a hairdresser.

“He laughed at me, and I felt sick to my stomach. I just burst into tears.”

The trial finally took place in July 2022. Jose Delgado-Leon, now 27, of Hatton Close, Redditch was found guilty of two counts of rape against Samantha.

In August 2022, he was sentenced to nine years at Worcester Crown Court.

Samantha says: “Jose took my innocence and my childhood. But I’m relieved he’s in prison and I had the courage to speak against him.

“My sister Sophie feels awful because he was her friend. She struggles with guilt still, but it wasn’t her fault. He manipulated everyone.”

“That New Year’s Eve changed my life. And now every New Year’s Eve I think of that moment I finally couldn’t hold it all in any longer.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’m proud of myself for telling my family and getting justice.

“I want to encourage other women to please come forward to someone too, you’ll be so much happier after. You can get justice like I did too.”

Samantha wants to encourage other sexual assault survivors to come forward to seek justiceCredit: True Life Stories