Update: Eric Eastman died in Walton jail after having his application for compassionate leave rejected. Eastman died in March, 2019 aged 72, due to heart failure brought on by his throat cancer and lung disease.

May 2018

Vile rapist told young girl he abused he would get army friends to ‘kneecap’ her

A sick rapist told a young girl he systematically abused he knew people in the army who would “kneecap” her.

A court heard that the Eric Eastman had been a member of the Territorial Army in Liverpool and sometimes wore his uniform when he sexually assaulted the girl.

His victim suffered abuse from the age of four to 17 before finally revealing her ordeal to her mum, but it was only last December that she finally told the police of her ordeal.

Sentencing the 71-year-old to 16 years in jail at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Steven Everett described him as “totally evil” and said his crimes “relate to unspeakable behaviour”.

He added: “It is difficult to see a more serious case of sexual abuse where one victim was involved.”

It began with grooming and the offences increased in seriousness, the court was told.

Judge Everett added: “You raped her on countless occasions. She was just an object as far as you were concerned.”

In addition to the jail term he imposed a one year extended licence as some of the offences meant he was an offender of particular concern. He told Eastman that means he will not be automatically released at the halfway stage of his sentence, and it will be up to be Parole Board when he is freed

Eastman, of Fieldside Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral, had pleaded guilty to 21 offences including rape and indecent assault, some which would now be charged as rape after changes in the law.

Sarah Holt, prosecuting, told the court Eastman began abusing the little girl when she was four and by the time she was seven he started raping her at various locations.

In a moving impact statement the victim, who cannot be identified, said she had “lost my childhood and innocence” and sense of self-worth. She has struggled all her life with anxiety and mental health issues, the court was told.

She told how one day while he was using a bandsaw in his upholstery shop in Borough Road, Birkenhead, she was tempted to run into him and sever his head but was afraid she would not be strong enough and he might kill her instead.

Eastman was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.