September 1999 Lollipop man jailed for sex abuse of children A man once voted Lollipop Man of the Year has been jailed for five years for a series of sex attacks on children. Ernest Donald, 72, was found guilty earlier this month of 16 charges involving four children aged between six and 12, over a four-year period. Old Bailey judge Henry Pownall told Donald, of Fulham, west London: “The trust to which the children were entitled to have in you has been broken. “Only time will tell what damage you have done to these particular children, but also you have damaged the relationship children of that age can have with people of your generation.” British Empire Medal Donald was voted top school crossing person in a competition sponsored by Heart FM and Carlton TV for the London area last year. He also received the British Empire Medal from the Queen in 1980 for 26 years service as a school bus driver. Gilbert Gray, QC, defending, said that Donald had devoted much of his life “to the service of others”, and “now he looks out on the world through a window of tears.” Since his conviction his garden had been vandalised, his windows smashed and his car damaged by angry parents, he said. The court had been told that Donald befriended three families near his home, and that one brother and sister looked upon him as a “grandfather figure”. He would babysit for the family and would sometimes look after the children during the day while their parents were at work. Previous good character Karen Holt, prosecuting, told the court that he had begun “grooming the children for sex”. Donald was sentenced to two-and-a-half years for attempted rape, one year for indecent assaults and 18 months for indecency with children. Judge Pownall said the sentences would have been double had it not been for factors such as his previous good character, his age and the fact that he suffered from clinical depression. Donald was suspended from his duty as a school crossing patrol officer in January this year. He had denied the allegations.