DONALD EATON FROM AIGBURTH SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST THREE GIRLS OVER NEARLY 40 YEARS IN LIVERPOOL

In October 2016, a disturbing case unfolded involving Donald Eaton, an 84-year-old man from Langford Road in Aigburth, who was found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offenses committed over a span of nearly four decades. The case revealed a pattern of grooming and molestation targeting three young girls, with the earliest abuse dating back to the 1950s and continuing into the 1990s.

Throughout the proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court, Eaton admitted to nine counts of indecent assault and also pleaded guilty to a charge of indecency with a child. The court heard that Eaton, who appeared in the dock using a walking stick, had systematically exploited his victims, often attempting to isolate them to facilitate his predatory behavior. The first victim, who was only four years old at the time of the abuse, was confused and unaware of the full extent of Eaton’s actions until many years later. She expressed feelings of guilt, believing that if she had reported the abuse sooner, it might have prevented other girls from suffering similar trauma.

She shared her emotional pain in court, stating, “I have struggled since and for the rest of my life keeping the memory to myself, sort of burying the thoughts. I am now left full of sadness and loss, feeling sick every day and suffering disturbed sleep nightly.” Her account underscored the long-lasting impact of Eaton’s actions.

The second victim also faced difficulties in understanding what had happened to her at the time, but now recognizes that Eaton’s abuse “robbed her of her innocence.” She described Eaton as “a dangerous sexual deviant and not to be trusted around children,” emphasizing the threat he posed.

The third victim, visibly distressed, recounted the horrors inflicted by Eaton, describing how he filmed himself abusing her and manipulated her in his sick games. She revealed that she continues to suffer from anxiety, nightmares, and panic attacks, and has undergone cognitive behavioral therapy to cope with her trauma. Her testimony highlighted the profound and lasting damage caused by Eaton’s predatory conduct.

Judge Denis Watson, QC, presided over the case and sentenced Eaton to eight and a half years in prison, with an additional two years on license. The judge described one of the attacks as “such a horrific act that she will never forget it,” and remarked that the circumstances surrounding the abuse were among the most traumatic he had encountered. In addition to the custodial sentence, Eaton was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.