'She thought he got away with it': Coleen Nolan reveals her sister Anne REGRETS not confronting their father over sexual abuse before he died

  • Coleen Nolan, 53, opened up about her abusive father Tommy on Loose Women
  • Tommy was violent to Coleen and her sisters and mother as they grew up 
  • When Coleen was in her twenties she learned that he'd sexually assaulted Anne
  • Coleen revealed that Anne was angry that she'd never confronted Tommy 

By Molly Rose Pike For Mailonline

Published: 09:41 EDT, 16 July 2018 | Updated: 14:10 EDT, 16 July 2018

Coleen Nolan has opened up about the sexual assault her sister Anne suffered at the hands of their father.

Tommy Nolan, who died in 1998, sexually abused Anne, now 67, and was violent towards the sisters and their late mother while he was alive.

Speaking on Loose Women, Coleen revealed Anne's regrets at not confronting him before he died because she wanted to protect their family.

Coleen, 53, said her sister felt like Tommy had 'gotten away with it' because he never had to face up to what he did to her.

On Monday's Loose Women Coleen Nolan opened up about the sexual assault her sister Anne suffered at the hands of their father

On Monday's Loose Women Coleen Nolan opened up about the sexual assault her sister Anne suffered at the hands of their father

Coleen, along with her sisters and mother, was badly beaten on a regular basis from an early age by singer Tommy. 

She found out in her 20s that he had assaulted Anne, though the older sister didn't confront him on his deathbed through fear of upsetting his family.

Coleen said: 'It's been well-documented about my dad and my elder sister and abuse, she never, ever confronted my dad while he was alive and I think that was to protect his family, my mother, who was still alive at the time. 

'For me, there was so much anger when he died, there was more anger when he died than when he was alive. She felt like he got away with it.

Anne (bottom right) never confronted Tommy (bottom row second right) about her abuse (pictured in 1982)

Anne (bottom right) never confronted Tommy (bottom row second right) about her abuse (pictured in 1982)

Coleen revealed that Anne, pictured last year, was 'angry' she didn't say anything to Tommy because she felt like he 'got away with it'

Coleen revealed that Anne, pictured last year, was 'angry' she didn't say anything to Tommy because she felt like he 'got away with it'

'I think she should have, even when he was ill, said ''I'll always remember what you did and I won't forgive you,'' and that would have released her pain.'

After the family moved from Dublin to Blackpool in 1962 Tommy began to abuse Anne.

She was kept off school for months due to an illness so it was just her, her father and her little sister Bernadette, one.

In the first instance Anne recalled how Tommy had put his hands between her legs when he pulled her on his knee, and then it became a regular occurence while her mother was at work.

Coleen said she didn't think people should be pressured to forgive someone if they don't want to (The Nolans are pictured here on stage in London in November 1982)

Coleen said she didn't think people should be pressured to forgive someone if they don't want to (The Nolans are pictured here on stage in London in November 1982)

In 2008 she wrote of the effect the abuse had on her life, saying: 'My father may have invaded my body, but he also invaded my mind. I'm now in my late 50s, and yet, to this day, no recollection of my childhood can ever be carefree. 

'It has a contaminating effect that seeps into every corner of your mind, every facet of your life. It doesn't go away, and the slate can never be wiped clean.'

Coleen had been responding to Gloria Hunniford's argument that Meghan Markle should get in contact with her father because he's the only father she has.

Thomas Markle has implored the Duchess of Sussex to get in touch out of fears that he may not live much longer.

The panel were discussing Thomas Markle's plea to daughter Meghan to get in touch with him 

The panel were discussing Thomas Markle's plea to daughter Meghan to get in touch with him 

Gloria said: 'He's her dad, bottom line is he's her dad, and the only dad she'll ever have in that sense. If you go way back before the wedding everything seemed to be all right, they seemed to have a good relationship. 

'We know what went wrong but I think then the palace, with Harry and Meghan, should have brought her dad over weeks before the wedding.' 

Coleen disagreed, and believed relatives shouldn't be forced into forgiving each other.

She explained: 'I think if you need to let it go, as in confronting someone and saying ''I wont forgive you and you need to know that, and you need to leave me alone.'' 

'I think that's just as important as going ''I forgive you,'' if actually deep inside you don't. I think it works both ways, I don't think people should be pressured into always forgiving if you don't want to.'

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Coleen Nolan says her sister regrets not confronting their abusive dad

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