A woman who bravely faced her abuser in court in 2015, has taken her own life.

Leyna Tucker, 47, waived her right to anonymity in November 2015, when she spoke to the Gazette after the sentencing of her step-father Andrew Fulcher of Kingsbridge.

Leyna, who was living in Cornwall when she died, said at the time that she had attempted suicide more than once after her “childhood was ended” by Fulcher when he indecently touched her on multiple occasions, starting before she was 13-years-old.

Leyna read her victim impact statement to Plymouth Crown Court, saying she had been left with “trust issues” and descended into using cocaine, amphetamines and alcohol at the age of 16. She said how she “never wanted to be by herself” and allowed herself to get into abusive relationships.

She said this had changed when she met her husband John Tucker, who she described as a “lovely man” who “made me who I am today”.

Leyna said she finally spoke out about the abuse to the police in 2013 after her mother had died, saying she “couldn’t have done this while she was alive” and felt like a “weight had been lifted” after Fulcher was found guilty and sentenced. She left court smiling.

His honour Judge Paul Darlow sentenced Fulcher, of Trebblepark, Kingsbridge, to four years in prison on Thursday, November 12, 2015, the length Leyna said she “expected”.

He commended Leyna for her “bravery” in coming forward and told Fulcher: “All the offences are in gross breach of trust. The one place a child is entitles to feel safe is in their own home, with those who have parental responsibilities.”

It was possible that Fulcher could be released after half his sentence had been served, although he will spend the rest of his life on the sex offenders register.