BARRY EVES BACUP PAEDOPHILE ESCAPES LIFE SENTENCE DESPITE HORRIFIC ABUSE CASE

In July 2011, a disturbing case involving Barry Eves, a resident of Bacup, came to light as the courts addressed his heinous crimes against young girls. Eves, aged 63 and living on Ramsey Avenue in Bacup, was found guilty of a series of serious sexual offenses that spanned several years, involving multiple victims and a disturbing collection of indecent photographs.

Top judges at the Court of Appeal in London reviewed Eves' case after his initial sentencing and declared that he was fortunate to have avoided a life sentence. The appeal was prompted by claims from Eves' legal representatives that his 14-year prison term was 'manifestly excessive.' However, the court, comprising Mr Justice Griffith Williams, Lord Justice Leveson, and Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, dismissed these arguments, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. The judges described Eves' offenses as 'about as bad a case of grooming and abuse as it is possible to imagine,' highlighting the predatory nature of his actions.

During the original trial at Burnley Crown Court in February, Eves admitted to multiple charges, including sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, indecency with a child, indecent assault, and the making, possession, and taking of indecent photographs of children. Despite the Crown Court judge's declaration that Eves was 'dangerous,' he was not given an indefinite sentence due to the timing of his offenses. Instead, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison, a punishment that the Court of Appeal later deemed insufficient given the gravity of his crimes.

Further details revealed the extent of Eves' depravity. He had repeatedly abused two young victims, photographing himself engaging in sexual acts with one of them and performing other indecent acts. Eves admitted to being sexually attracted to the girl and had provided her with provocative clothing to wear for his photographs, which he also took naked. When the girl objected or showed resistance, Eves would sulk and manipulate her into feeling guilty, having 'completely groomed' her, as described during the trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Police investigations uncovered a horrifying trove of evidence. Eves had stored nearly 900 obscene images of the girl on his computer, along with photographs of other children, including a 12-year-old girl filmed with a hidden camera. The authorities discovered a total of approximately 1,200 indecent images on discs, which included a disturbing image of a nine-year-old girl’s face superimposed on a naked woman’s body, as well as various images depicting children in underwear and other forms of abuse. The collection also contained downloaded child pornography, illustrating the extent of his perversion.

Prosecutors highlighted the emotional trauma inflicted on Eves' victims, noting the lasting impact of his actions. Despite this, probation officers indicated that Eves lacked any real understanding of the harm he caused. Eves pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of indecency with a child, three counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, four counts of indecent assault, and eight counts of possessing indecent images. He also admitted to additional charges related to the creation and possession of indecent images.

Judge Beverley Lunt, presiding over the case, described Eves' actions as a 'catalogue of depravity' and explicitly labeled him a 'dangerous man.' She emphasized her belief that Eves posed a continued threat to young girls and sentenced him accordingly. As part of his punishment, Eves was banned from working with children for life and was placed on the sex offenders' register permanently, ensuring he would be monitored to prevent further harm.