April 15, 2008

More jail time for elderly sex offender

By Anne Clarkson

A man who is serving eight years in prison was sentenced to more jail time in the Christchurch District Court today on a charge of indecent assault on a child from 1980 to 1984.

Eric William Walker, a 62-year-old shopkeeper, was told he was likely to spend most, if not all, of his life in some type of custodial placement or he would be in his early 70s before being released.

Defence counsel Jeff McCall said Walker admitted the offence immediately. The offending was over four years and he understood, at least at some level, the serious consequences of his offending.

He was able to pay reparation, he said.

Crown prosecutor Kathy Bell said that the abuse was at the higher level of indecent assaults. She suggested a strong sentence was warranted, cumulative on his previous sentence.

Judge David Saunders told the court that Walker?s offending was unrelated to last year?s, where he received eight years imprisonment with a non-parole period of five years for a series of sex offences.

?January 1980 to 1984 has dimmed in your recollection but not for the complainant here today,? he said. ?She has had to cope over a number of years with the impact you had on her.?

He jailed Walker for a further two years six months on top of the term he is now serving.

The judge wanted to make an order for $3000 for emotional harm to the victim, but Walker spoke from the dock and offered $5000, which was accepted.

As he was taken out of court, the complainant yelled at him from the public seats.

With Walker out of the room, Judge Saunders spoke to the woman, and suggested she use the money to get counselling, so that she could move on and enjoy her life.