Paul Anthony Wardell: Victims Shania Madden, Ashley Whiting tell of their abuse
To the outside world, he was a legendary stockman and riding instructor. To two young girls, he was a sex predator.
Police & Courts
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They were young teenage girls when they independently set out on what was supposed to be a chance of a lifetime – working for the once-legendary stockman and riding instructor Paul Anthony Wardell on his revered property just outside of Gloucester.
But instead of honing their skills by learning from one of the best in the business, Wardell set out to sexually abuse them, using his authority to prey on their vulnerabilities on his remote Berrico property ‘‘Fairvew’’ with no way of protecting themselves.
Now, Shania Madden and Ashley Whiting have decided to courageously tell their story of systematic abuse at the hands of Wardell, allowing The Newcastle News to identify them as they fronted their attacker in court during sentencing proceedings on Tuesday.
The court heard Wardell maintained his innocence despite a jury finding him guilty of 23 charges relating to the two young women – four counts of aggravated indecent assault on Ms Whiting and 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault and six counts of aggravated indecent assault on Ms Madden.
All were committed as Wardell was in a position of authority, towering over them while away at horse competitions and climbing inside their own beds at night.
The now 68-year-old was due to spend his first night in custody on Tuesday night as Coffs Harbour District Court Judge Jonathon Priestley considers what sentence to impose on the fallen horsebreaker.
“One minute I was an innocent excited kid, absolutely ecstatic to have been given what appeared to be a huge opportunity to have it all, to live my career dreams,’’ Ms Madden, now 21, told the court in her victim impact statement.
“Being told by you how talented I was, and how I was such a fast learner, the hardest worker, the best you’d seen.
“Maybe I could even go to the Olympics.
“Next you had managed to infest every part of my mind like a cancer.
“You completely isolated me from my family and friends.
“You made me believe my parents didn’t love me and wouldn’t help me, that my friends wouldn’t help me.
“You made me believe no one loved me or cared about me.
“You made me believe you were the only person I could trust and who would support my dreams.’’
Ms Madden bravely told Wardell that he had abused her emotionally, financially, physically and sexually and that she had felt “completely trapped, you had me convinced there was nowhere to run to’’.
Aged just 16 and 17, she was forced to spend over a year being abused by Wardell before she could escape.
“I was frightened, fatigued, weak, underweight, underfed, without self-love, without self-worth, completely helpless, a broken child,’’ she said.
Ms Whiting, now 25, first met Wardell when she was 15 during her first round of work experience.
She was soon employed at the property before she was indecently assaulted over a two-year period.
“I felt so uncomfortable and confused as to why a nearly 60-year-old man would want to “touch me the way he was,’’ Ms Whiting told the court.
“I thought it was my fault and something I was doing because that’s what he had told me.
“He made sure I was aware that he had a temper which made me terrified to say anything to anyone because I was so scared of what he would do to me if I did.
“I felt trapped there without a licence and nowhere to go to.’’
But as Wardell sat listening to his two victims speak of his abuse, he also heard of their strength.
“I will walk calmly from this courthouse today leaving all of the shame here with you,’’ Ms Madden said.
“I refuse to take it with me. It was never mine to own.
“It is yours and yours alone with no one to share it with.
“I give you my pain, my fear, my guilt, my panic, my silence.
“I will carry the weight no more and I will not remain silent.
“I am no longer the little girl you chose to hurt.
“I am a strong, independent woman who will protect that little girl at all costs.
You will never hurt me or another child ever again.’’
And she later added: “My story is not a sad story, it is a very real story of a girl who fought through a storm she thought would never end.
“There are countless adult survivors of abuse in the world. I stand alongside them.
“I advocate normalising the conversation and breaking the cycle of shame and silence.
“We have nothing to be ashamed of.
“I will share my story far and wide; with full faith it will encourage others to stand in their truth, to feel safe and empowered to share their fears.
“Where the light shines, the darkness cannot dwell.”
And Ms Whiting was just as stoic, telling the court that she was a much stronger person than the one who Wardell abused.
“I’ve never been more determined to succeed in life and especially the horse industry,’’ Ms Whiting said.
“I am extremely proud of myself for speaking up and putting an end to it potentially happening to more young girls.
“I will always have to live with the thoughts and trauma of what he did to me but now with the guilty verdict I hope that one day I can find peace in my head again.’’
Wardell will be sentenced later this month.
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