FURNEXH PELHAM PENSIONER ERIC FORTH SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN ST ALBANS

In October 2012, Eric Forth, a 73-year-old resident of Furneux Pelham, was sentenced to five years in prison for sexual offenses committed against a young girl over a period of twelve years. The court also ordered that he be added to the sex offenders' register indefinitely. During the proceedings at St Albans Crown Court, it was revealed that the girl was approximately five years old when the abuse began and the assault continued over subsequent years.

Forth defended himself, claiming, "I may have accidentally touched her as I played games like hide and seek with her, sometimes in the dark." Despite this, the jury—including eight women and four men—found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault, two counts of assault of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

In addition to his imprisonment, Forth was also subjected to a sexual offences prevention order. Judge Andrew Bright QC indicated that a prison sentence was "almost inevitable" for Forth, though he was granted bail at the conclusion of the trial on September 21, pending a probation report.