News RSS Feed


Sex attacker spared jail

8:55am Friday 2nd February 2007

comment Comments (32)   Have your say »


A pensioner who sexually abused a six-year-old girl was spared jail by a judge - and told to compensate her with money for a new bike.

Convicted sex offender Eric Cole, 71, admitted sexually assaulting the girl as she played in a garden in Barton, Oxford, last summer.

Sentencing him at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Judge Julian Hall said Cole needed treatment for his lust for young girls to take place in the community, as a previous jail term for sexual abuse on a child had failed to rehabilitate him.

Cole, now living in Church Street, Bedford, had been jailed for 15 months for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in 1998, the court was told by prosecuting barrister Alan Maines.

The six-year-old victim's family urged Judge Hall from the public bench to return the pensioner to jail, but he said he was not convinced it was the best way to protect little girls from the defendant.

After suspending a nine-month jail term, Judge Hall imposed a sexual offenders' prevention order on Cole, to be served in the community.

The order bans him from being alone with a child under 16 for five years and says he must attend a sexual offenders' programme.

He also ordered Cole to pay the victim £250 compensation, adding: "If it buys her a nice new bicycle, that's the sort of thing that might cheer her up."

While Cole waited in the dock to be freed, members of the victim's family reacted angrily to the decision.

One shouted: "Lock him up then", while a second pointed at Cole and said: "You haven't heard the last from me, mate."

Judge Hall replied: "I hear the calls but I ignore them.

"I have explained I'm certain in my own mind this is the best way to protect girls under 16 from the hands of this man."

The court was told that the girl's mother saw Cole with her daughter in the garden on July 31 last year.

Mr Maines said: "Cole was holding her waistband and was pushing his hands down her trousers."

Cole entered a guilty plea on January 4 after previously denying the charge.

In mitigation, defending solicitor Dee Connolly said the defendant had heart problems, was a carer for his elderly mother and had shown remorse.

Judge Hall told the court that if he had imposed a jail term, Cole would be unlikely to receive treatment available to him in the community.

He added: "In criminal terms, what you did was quite mild, but the effects were serious.

"If you are not to do this sort of thing again, then you need help.

"The greater chance of children being protected from you in the long term is a sexual offenders' prevention order.

"I want to keep you away from small children."

Print article » Email to a friend »

Your Say YourOxford Mail

Simon, says...
10:20pm Thu 1 Feb 07

There's no guarantee that girls will be safe from harm if he is free. Lock him up and parents have one less person to worry about.

Report this post »

Laraine Santagato, USA says...
8:05am Fri 2 Feb 07

Is the judge INSANE ?? put the old **** back in jail, he'll just keep doing it until he dies, I couldn't care less how old he is, we need monsters like him out of society

Report this post »

Mel, oxford says...
8:18am Fri 2 Feb 07

This is so worrying. As if there is not enough to worry about without having to worry that an oap peodo is on the lose. Lock him up and throw away the key

Report this post »

CS, Oxford says...
10:23am Fri 2 Feb 07

I find it disgusting that the Judge seems to think that everything will be alright for that girl again, if she gets a new bike. How stupid is he she will be traumatised for a long time to come and to make matters worse the perpetrator hasn't been punished by JAIL. No little girl is save if Judges let those kind of sick people go. It won't be a lose to the world if his in prison till he dies!

Report this post »

C, Oxford says...
10:36am Fri 2 Feb 07

Does the judge think a new bike will make everything alright, what is this world coming to, it's sick!!

Report this post »

CS, Oxford says...
11:14am Fri 2 Feb 07

Well the family and friends of the family already knew what he looked like. So somethings bound to happen to him anyway, they haven't got the justice they deserve to get.

Report this post »

Alan, Oxford says...
11:14am Fri 2 Feb 07

Only this week Thames Valley Police said they have lost 2 sex offenders. Lock this pedo up and they know where he is!!

Report this post »

SG, Oxford says...
11:34am Fri 2 Feb 07

Lives can be ruined by child sex abuse. A new bike will never compensate for that.

Report this post »

Rachel Newbold, Abingdon says...
12:06pm Fri 2 Feb 07

Just read this article, it's disgraceful. Parents worry enough about the safety of theor children without letting more perverts into the society. Would be a very different story if if were the judges child sexually assualted!!

Report this post »

E Smith, Oxford says...
12:29pm Fri 2 Feb 07

Maybe the Judge should consider retiring,he obviously doesnt consider sex offenders as harmful!

Report this post »

Rebecca, oxford says...
12:45pm Fri 2 Feb 07

This is absolutely appalling - not least because this convicted peodophile gets to walk free, but that the judge suggests that a new bike will make the little girl feel better!
There must be something we can do? Petition? Write to local councillors? Anyone got any suggestions??

Report this post »

CS, Oxford says...
12:48pm Fri 2 Feb 07

I would imagine that the family will take it further. They don't have to accept the verdict from the Judge. I just hope they do appeal. I think this verdict and the bike comment would sicken most people. I'm not sure what we can do though, it may just be up to the family.

Report this post »

Roger Williams, Hereford says...
12:49pm Fri 2 Feb 07

On the other hand if he'd have wandered into a shopping centre whilst on an ASBO he'd have got three months jail!

Report this post »

Frances Millar, Carterton says...
1:12pm Fri 2 Feb 07

This judge is absolutely out of order, buy the girl a bike, if I was a member of this family I would be totally disgusted. Is this justice, I don't think so.

Report this post »

Emily, Birmingham says...
2:52pm Fri 2 Feb 07

The only person who needs a new bike is the judge - so he can get on it and ride away somewhere a long way from the courts. What a horribly insulting judgement. Does he really think that little girl would enjoy using it if it reminded her of this horrible experience everytime?


Report this post »

Arthur Pusey Hamilton, says...
3:37pm Fri 2 Feb 07

I agree entirely. Life imprisonment is clearly the appropriate punishment for touching somebody's buttocks. Why, oh why, don't they bring back public flogging?

Report this post »

CS, Oxford says...
3:44pm Fri 2 Feb 07

That person you are talking about is a CHILD a 6 year old little girl. He will never be cured his done it before and now his done it again. he shouldn't be allowed out where he is a threat to other young children!

Report this post »

Jane, oxford says...
4:23pm Fri 2 Feb 07

surely this is just going to incorrage more attacks on young girls, esp if the cost of it is a new bike. He should die in prison as he will never be reabilitated. Though the judge is the only person to blame if he assults anyone further. How woudl he feel if it was his daughter??

Report this post »

sarah, oxford says...
4:29pm Fri 2 Feb 07

he should have gone to jail and let him suffer just like this little girl will for the rest of her life.he should have been locked up to prove to the little girl that he had done WRONG!not a slap on the wrist. he should be hung by his private parts every day until he dies, i hope he rots in **** along with the rest of the sicko's.judge hall should retire!!!

Report this post »

CJS, says...
4:35pm Fri 2 Feb 07

If the Judge thinks this sentance is approprate then he wouldnt mind this PEDO babysitting his granchildren........... some people havent got the sence they were born with lock the old git up and throw away the key he cannot be rehabilitated he will re offend in the future lock up your kids everyone.

Report this post »

av, oxford says...
5:00pm Fri 2 Feb 07

I could'nt believe what I read, what planet is this judge living on. This guy has messed about with a child why is he still on the loose, goodness knows how many more he will do this to, or already has, he cannot be cured. The judge needs to retire whats wrong with him, is he daft ?
The child molester is an old man "SO WHAT " he can still mess with children. A molester is a molester no matter what age.

Report this post »

yvonne turpin, usa says...
5:25pm Fri 2 Feb 07

I cannot believe this, what is this judge thinking, maybe he should be struck from the bench, as for the sex offender, get him in jail, how many other little girls are to abused by him before someone does something about it, a bike is not going to make her feel better about being abused by this PERVERT.

Report this post »

Chloe, Carterton, Oxford says...
11:18pm Fri 2 Feb 07

Oh My God, You Must be kidding me.
Is this some sort of joke?
You actually think that he wont do this again.
First a 12 year old.
which he gets Jailed for, And now a 6 year old!
These types of people dont just stop.
He should be locked up, so that he dosnt get the Chance to do it again.
And as for buying the little girl a bike.
Id imagine the 6 year old's family was not Impressed with that.

Report this post »

Robert Warner, Henley-on-Thames says...
11:43am Sat 3 Feb 07

The police tell us that in Operation Ore which arose from a US investigation of on-line paedophiles viewing and downloading child ****, they were given details of several thousand people in the UK including the names of senior people in the legal profession. Thus when one reads of a judge handing out such an utterly ridiculous sentence , one really is left wondering why he would take this line. Of course I am would not suggest for one moment the judge is a paedophile, but the sentence is perverse.

Report this post »

fd, says...
11:57am Sat 3 Feb 07

i find it disgusting that the Judge seems to think that if the police cant do nothing about it then i will

Report this post »

Roger Williams, Hereford says...
7:37pm Sat 3 Feb 07

I agree with the earlier poster above. A victim should not be riding around on a bike payed for by the abuser. It is a wholly inappropriate reminder of the abuse every time she would ride it.

Report this post »

nt, says...
8:21pm Sat 3 Feb 07

I feel bound to point out just how ridiculous and worrying some of the comments on this page are. In general, people seem to have the idea that there are paedophiles around every corner, but at the same time that they're all serial rapists who can't control themselves (in which case, why isn't every child being molested?). It seems to me that this is all part of the mass hysteria over paedophilia that has seized Britain in the past ten years - yes, of course it's wrong and needs to be punished, but this is totally disproportionate. This idea that, for feeling up a 6-year-old, Eric Cole "should be hung by his private parts every day until he dies" is barbaric! And more worrying still is people encouraging vigilante attacks on him, or commenting in a self-satisfied tone "something's bound to happen to him". But ten times more worrying than any of the comments about Cole are those about the judge - insinuating that he himself is a paedophile? (Adding at the bottom of your post 'I would not suggest for one moment that the judge is a paedophile' is totally disingenuous, when that's clearly the import of your post! You might even be liable under libel legislation). Encouraging sexual assault on his WIFE?? Giving out her NAME and where to find her???!? Get a grip, people! That's as bad as Cole!

Report this post »

I'm NOT a peado but..., phycoford says...
2:10am Sun 4 Feb 07

Omg WTF is this a BNP meeting the people on here are phycos time to get no my bike and get away from Oxford. Having said that the poor girl would be constantly reminded by the bike so that would be very sick.

Report this post »

Ellis, Devon says...
11:09am Sun 4 Feb 07

Whilst I fully support the principles as stated by the cited charities I must question NSPCC spokesman Isabel Kelly on her charitys continued and wanten ability to pounce on men be it in the press or on TV adds as the prime offenders when it comes to child abuse, especialy so given that the facts clearly show that woman are just as resonsible as men. As I see it, a major problem is that false and misleading claims such as this put out by organisations seeking to impose their political ideas for reasons best known to themselves, only serves to undermine the position of those who genuinely suffer from child abuse.


Report this post »

sarah, says...
11:57am Sun 4 Feb 07

one reader thinks by hanging him by his private parts barbaric??? i am a mother of two children and trust me that man would not have even made the court room!!! the trial would have taken place in his absense as he would have beeen in intensive care or six foot under! he is a filthy old man and i still stick by what i said.

Report this post »

martyn, headington says...
7:53pm Sun 4 Feb 07

i think releasing them is wrong in this day an age there is nobody to monitor them and if they have already been imprisoned once and then reoffended rehabilitation DOES not work either lock them up for life shoot them or castrate them or just go for all 3 the judge did not care about the family and how they have to deal with the aftermarth of this he just wanted his court room emptied so he could throw the the next case out i think the whole system needs to be readdressed quickily

Report this post »

Mel, Oxford says...
8:58am Mon 5 Feb 07

I'm sorry, but the judge needs to be held up for this. How he can justify releasing a SERIAL sex offender is beyond me. so the old man wasnt rehabilatated last time - lock him up for life this time. I dont agree with comments about the judges wife - thats really not fair. but something needs to be done about the injustice of this.

Report this post »

Comments are closed on this article.

Eric Cole arrives at court Eric Cole arrives at court

In this section

Essential Links

Sponsored Links



UK Debt Help and Advice | IVA help and advice | The truth about IVAs | Stay with Prague Hotels | Visit Spain with Barcelona Hotels

Local Advertisers


Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »