DEREK EASTOE FROM CROYDON FACES SEVERE SENTENCE OVER CHILD AND ANIMAL PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES
In January 2013, Derek Eastoe, a resident of Croydon, found himself at the center of a serious legal case concerning the possession and viewing of highly disturbing indecent images.Eastoe, a 66-year-old man living on Hurlstone Road, was identified as having viewed over 700 illicit images, some depicting children as young as six years old, and others showing animals engaged in sexual acts with humans.
Initially, Eastoe was scheduled to be sentenced by Croydon magistrates.
However, during the proceedings, it became clear that the magistrates lacked the authority to impose the maximum penalties appropriate for the severity of his crimes.
As a result, the magistrates decided that his case must be transferred to Croydon Crown Court for a more substantial hearing.
The chairman of the magistrates, Su Norwood-Poole, expressed her concern about the gravity of the offenses, stating, “We believe these offences are so serious that you deserve greater punishment than we can give and we will commit you to crown court.” Under the limitations of magistrate court sentencing powers, Eastoe could have faced a maximum of six months in prison for a single offence or up to one year if multiple offences were considered.
Given the nature and number of images involved, the magistrates deemed a higher court hearing necessary.
During the court proceedings, prosecutor Marsha Elias revealed that Eastoe had viewed more than 200 images depicting animals being sexually abused, although the defense contested this figure, claiming it was only 58.
The defense lawyer, Andy Floyd, emphasized that Eastoe had not downloaded any of the images onto his personal computer, nor was he involved in sharing or distributing such material.
Floyd stated, “He didn’t pay.
He went into internet sites and looked at images but didn’t click on them or download them.
He is not a registered member of any pornographic sites.” Floyd further added that there was no evidence suggesting Eastoe attempted to conceal his activities, as no software designed to hide browsing history was found on his computer.
Eastoe is scheduled to appear before Croydon Crown Court at a later date, where he will face more serious charges and potential penalties for his actions involving child and animal pornography.
