A FORMER Army cadet captain who abused his power and molested three boys 20 years ago is behind bars – and nowone of his victims has bravely spoken out about his ordeal.

Paul Evans, 54, bullied teens with corporal punishment and abused them with “appalling” indecent assaults, Cardiff Crown Court heard. The father-of-two led a successful group of army cadets in Gwent which gave him “a degree of power and respect”, prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told the court.

But behind closed doors, Evans bullied aspiring soldiers while rewarding others with cigarettes and alcohol, the court heard. He was jailed for 33 months for assaulting three boys under 16. He admitted six counts of indecent assault.

Victim Carl Thomas, now 33, from Cwmbran, has waived his right to anonymity to tell his story – and reveal the impact of what Evans did on his life.

He told how he dreamed of joining the Army but was left unable to accept authority after an “appalling” indecent assault when he was around 13. He recalled how Evans dragged him downstairs by the hair for having gone to talk to a female cadet at the base then subjected him to the attack.

Mr Thomas told the Argus after the hearing: “My dream was to go into the army. This is why I joined the cadets.

“He shattered all my dreams when I left school and the cadet force because I could not accept any sort of authority figure.

“I suffered in silence for years and years. I never had anyone to talk to about it or have been comfortable talking about it.” The super-fit teenager succeeded in joining the Royal Regiment of Wales when he was 17 but left after eight months, unable to trust his superiors. He said: “I didn’t trust anyone and didn’t feel safe with the officers there. I came out of it. It has affected my respect for authority and affected me in my work life.”

But Mr Thomas has now managed to rebuild his life and married his long-term girlfriend three years ago.

He now works as an industrial abseilor doing maintenance work, including bricklaying on viaducts and bridges for the railways.

Judge Philip Richards told Evans, of Ty Fry Close, Rumney, Cardiff: “This was quite plainly appalling bullying.

This was behaviour which was for your gratification, both as a bully and in sexual terms.

“They were subjected to a degree of humiliation in the company of people of their own age, which must have had a horrible effect on them.”

Caroline Rees, for Evans, said: “He accepts that what he did was grossly wrong. As a child, he was the victim of abuse over a number of years and struggled himself with his sexuality and is now an openly gay man.

“He does not fully understand what it was that led him down that particular path but is anxious to do so.”