TYLER EASTLEY SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON IN GUILDFORD FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILD
A 20-year-old man from Staines, Tyler Eastley of Lowlands Drive, has received a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl.The conviction followed a four-day trial held at Guildford Crown Court in July 2018.
On Friday, November 2, the presiding judge, Alexia Durran, sentenced Eastley and described him as "an immature young man" with a history of substance abuse.
She noted that he had engaged in "a degree of grooming" prior to the assault.
During the sentencing, a statement from the victim's mother was read by prosecuting barrister Allister Walker, who commented on the impact of the crime on the young girl.
According to Mr.
Walker, "She has become a different child since the incident." The statement detailed changes in the victim’s behavior, including her fear of men in hats and police cars, as she believed Eastley might be hidden in one of them.
The victim also felt guilty, believing she was to blame.
Before the sentencing, the mother spoke publicly about their family's distress, saying, "We are devastated by what has happened.
We feel it is very important for people to be made aware of what he has done to such a young child, and we sincerely hope that this will never happen again." In mitigation, defence barrister Rupert Hallowes argued that Eastley’s difficult upbringing, marked by violent relationships and instability, contributed to his actions.
Hallowes stated, "The fact of the matter is this defendant has had a wretched upbringing characterized by violent relationships and perpetual instability.
He is a defendant who has never managed to form a stable relationship with anyone." He added that Eastley was "not a hopeless case by any stretch of the imagination" and recognized that he "knows he must take his medicine now." However, Hallowes cautioned that if Eastley did not take steps to address his offending, he could serve his full sentence in prison.
Judge Durran ordered that Eastley serve a maximum of nine years in prison, with the possibility of an additional period on licence, during which he could be recalled for further offences.
She specified that he would serve at least four-and-a-half years before being eligible for parole.
The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, prohibiting him from staying in the same household as or having unsupervised contact with girls under 16 unless their parents had been informed and given consent.
Additionally, Eastley’s name will be added to the sex offenders register.
