DAVID ESLICK SALTFORD BRISTOL CROWN COURT HORROR REVELATION

In December 2017, David Eslick, a 54-year-old man from Saltford, was sentenced to a decade in prison after being convicted of a series of heinous sexual offenses. The charges against him included a total of 20 counts, spanning from the 1980s through 2001, and involved two victims, with the primary victim being Kurt Knight. The court found Eslick guilty of eight counts of indecent assault on a male, six counts of indecency with a child, and five counts of serious sexual offenses, including rape.

One of the most harrowing aspects of this case is the detailed account provided by Kurt Knight, who endured relentless abuse at the hands of his stepfather, Eslick, from the age of five until he was 15. Kurt recounted how the abuse was not limited to sexual assault but extended to violent and threatening behavior, creating a climate of constant fear and intimidation. His early memories include being at the gates of his infant school, contemplating whether other children experienced the same torment he did, highlighting how normalized and pervasive the abuse was within his home environment.

Kurt described how Eslick’s tactics to instill fear involved threats with a gun, forcing him to watch animals being killed, and other violent acts. One particularly traumatic incident occurred when Kurt was around ten years old. Eslick returned home and brandished a loaded revolver, waving it around and proposing a game of Russian roulette to Kurt and a friend. The children, powerless and terrified, had no choice but to comply. Kurt vividly remembers feeling utterly helpless as a gun was pointed at him at close range. His mother’s screams during the incident drew neighbors’ attention, and police were called, but Eslick managed to escape before authorities arrived.

Following this, Eslick disappeared from their lives for several months but eventually returned, a pattern that would recur throughout Kurt’s childhood. Eslick’s violent tendencies extended to showing Kurt the animals he had killed, sometimes committing these acts in front of him. Despite multiple police visits to the family home, no significant action was taken against Eslick at the time. It was only during the trial, decades later, that Kurt learned another child's parent had previously reported concerns about Eslick to the police.

Throughout the police investigation and subsequent therapy, Kurt chose not to disclose every detail of the sexual abuse he endured, but he emphasized that the intimidation and violence persisted into his teenage years, becoming sexual in nature. By the age of 12, Kurt was placed in care, but shockingly, he was still released into Eslick’s care on weekends, where further abuse occurred at his mother’s house. Kurt described how he would run away from home as a child, desperately seeking help, but his fears prevented him from fully explaining his situation to adults. Social services and schools were involved at times, but Kurt felt they failed him, with authorities even claiming Eslick was a positive influence.

He expressed feelings of guilt and shame, believing he was at fault for the abuse, which left deep emotional scars. Now, at 40, Kurt struggles with mental health issues, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, which severely impact his daily life. He suffers from insomnia, nightmares, and paranoia, which have hindered his ability to maintain employment and relationships. Despite training as a plumber, his anxiety has kept him from working consistently, and he lives separately from his children and former partner. Kurt’s love for his children remains a driving force, but his past trauma continues to haunt him.

In his efforts to heal, Kurt has undergone extensive counseling and therapy. His troubled past led him to homelessness as a teenager, and he was involved in criminal activities, primarily theft, which resulted in prison sentences. It was during his time in prison that he finally accessed support from a counselor who helped him realize that he was not to blame for his childhood experiences. This realization marked a turning point in his recovery.

By the mid-2000s, Kurt attempted to report Eslick to the police but was overwhelmed by fear and trauma, which prevented him from following through. Years later, Eslick reconnected with him via social media, sending a chilling message: “aren’t we friends anymore?” This confirmed to Kurt that Eslick was aware of his attempts to report him. It was not until 2016 that Kurt found the strength to revisit the police, providing detailed taped interviews that formed the basis of the conviction.

During the trial, Kurt chose to confront Eslick directly in court, despite the emotional toll. He wanted to see his former abuser’s face and demonstrate that his power over him had diminished. Kurt described how Eslick’s cold, intimidating stare from his childhood was used during the trial, and how he was able to point out this behavior to the jury, exposing Eslick’s true nature.

The jury found Eslick guilty of 20 sexual offenses, marking a significant moment for Kurt, as it symbolized a shift in the power dynamic. The sentencing included 10 years in custody, one year on license, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and an indefinite ban from working with children. Eslick will also remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Allie Longhorn, head of the CPS South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, praised the victims’ bravery, emphasizing that their support was crucial in securing the conviction. His Honour Judge Lambert described Eslick’s actions as predatory and damaging, noting that his previous convictions were of little relevance compared to the severity of these offenses. The judge sentenced Eslick to a total of 11 years, combining imprisonment and license, and reinforced the restrictions placed upon him.

Kurt explained his reasons for sharing his story, aiming to hold Eslick accountable and to warn others. “First of all, I just want him to be named and shamed,” he said. “In many ways, he has ruined my life — my self-worth, my relationships, my dreams. It’s so hard to stop that from just completely eating away at you. He won’t be in prison for half as long as he has made me suffer, and I want people to know exactly what he has done, and what he is capable of. I often think about what my life could have been like if he hadn’t been in it. It’s a powerless position to be in, and I want to leave it behind.”