EDWARD WALTON'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN BARNHAM AND MAESTEG LEAD TO FIVE-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE

In a case that has shocked the communities of Barnham and Maesteg, 55-year-old Edward Walton has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offences involving young children. The court heard that Walton, a known sex offender, had a disturbing history of predatory behavior that spanned over a decade, with incidents occurring at various addresses in Littlehampton and Barnham.

Walton’s latest conviction was the result of a trial at Hove Crown Court, where he was found guilty on April 8 of six separate charges. The charges included an incident from between 2004 and 2006, during which he exposed himself to a young girl while he was on a milk float. Although he was acquitted of a separate charge alleging he caused an 11-year-old girl to watch pornography, the court found him guilty of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of causing another girl, aged approximately nine or ten, to view pornography.

Throughout the proceedings, Walton displayed no visible emotion as the jury delivered unanimous guilty verdicts. The offences spanned from 2004 to 2015, with police confirming that the incidents took place at residences in Littlehampton and Barnham. The victims, whose identities are protected by law, have endured significant emotional trauma. One victim, who attended the court to read a prepared statement, described her suffering, revealing that her anxiety had worsened since the trial began. She disclosed feelings of being “destroyed,” suffering from depression, and resorting to self-harm, including taking antidepressants and sleeping pills.

Walton’s criminal history is extensive. He is currently serving a 29-year prison sentence at HM Littlehey in Cambridgeshire, following a conviction at Chichester Crown Court in 2016 for serious sexual offences. Prison officials have noted that Walton is comfortable in Littlehey and is known for being courteous to staff. Despite his current incarceration, the court emphasized the ongoing danger he poses to children.

During the sentencing hearing on June 10, presided over by Recorder Mr. Anthony Hawks, Walton appeared via video link. The judge described Walton as a “compulsive paedophile” and highlighted the serious risk he continues to present to children. The court also imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered Walton to be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

In his remarks, Recorder Hawks condemned Walton’s claims of conspiracy and alleged fabrication of evidence, stating that such assertions had caused his victims additional trauma by prolonging their ordeal. The judge praised the bravery of one of the victims, who had spoken out publicly about her suffering, and acknowledged the profound impact these crimes have had on her mental health.

Overall, this case underscores the importance of vigilant law enforcement and judicial action in protecting vulnerable children from predators like Edward Walton, whose actions have left a lasting scar on the victims and the communities of Barnham and Maesteg.