EARLS BARTON PENSIONER ERNEST REGAN SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN NORTHAMPTON

In a case that has shocked the local community of Earls Barton and the wider Northampton area, Ernest Regan, a 71-year-old retired lorry driver residing in Austin’s Yard, Earls Barton, was convicted of a series of disturbing sexual offences committed against a young girl during the 1990s. The conviction followed a detailed five-day trial at Northampton Crown Court, where the jury found Regan guilty of five counts of indecent assault against the girl, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions.

Regan, who had consistently denied the allegations, faced a mixed verdict. While he was convicted on these five charges, he was acquitted of other serious allegations, including four counts of rape involving a second girl, now in her 30s, with incidents dating back to the 1970s. Had he been found guilty of those, he could have faced a sentence of up to ten years in prison.

Following the verdict, Judge Patrick Eccles handed down a sentence of three years’ imprisonment to Regan. Additionally, he was ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.

During sentencing, Judge Eccles acknowledged the gravity of the offences, particularly noting the impact on the young victim. He stated, “This was very serious for the girl in question but, in terms of the scale of gravity, the offences were less serious than many which come before a court. It did happen over a period of five years, between the ages of three and seven years old. And when it did happen, she was scared and told you to stop. But you did not. She has suffered considerable amounts of stress, in part from the experience and part of coming to court.”

The judge also took into account Regan’s age and health, mentioning that his ill-health would make a prison regime more difficult. Nonetheless, he emphasized that Regan remains a high risk to young girls, especially those of a very young age.

In mitigation, Jackie Matthews-Stroud argued that Regan posed a low risk of re-offending and highlighted that he was not predatory in nature. She urged the court to consider a relatively short custodial sentence, noting that the conviction itself had profoundly affected Regan and his family. Despite these pleas, the court maintained that the seriousness of the offences warranted a significant custodial penalty, and Regan was sentenced accordingly, with the court emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable children from such offenders in the future.