ERIC FORSTER FROM BROMPTON-ON-SWALE AND NEASHAM JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IN DARLINGTON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Brompton-on-Swale and Neasham, Eric Forster, a former social worker and ex-boss of a Darlington-based adoptions agency for vulnerable children, has been sentenced to a total of six years and eight months in prison for heinous child sex offenses.

Forster, aged 58 and now residing in Brompton Park, Brompton-on-Swale, near Richmond, was found guilty of multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of a young girl. The court heard that he deliberately created situations that allowed him to be in close contact with the girl, often under the guise of playful activities such as tickling, which he exploited to carry out repeated acts of sexual assault.

The court was informed that Forster also took photographs of the girl after encouraging her to perform various splits or similar poses that exposed her underwear, causing her significant embarrassment. These acts were part of a pattern of grooming and abuse that spanned several incidents.

The case came to light after the girl confided in her mother and grandmother, prompting police to investigate. Forster was arrested at his home in Neasham, a village near Darlington, in December 2015. During the search, authorities seized multiple electronic devices. Initially, Forster claimed that these devices would not contain any indecent images of children, asserting that any images found were not inappropriate and that he may have accidentally brushed his arm against the girl during lifting, which he insisted was not sexual in nature.

However, forensic examination of a seized laptop and memory sticks revealed a disturbing collection of 132 indecent images of children, including three classified as the most serious category. These images depicted young girls, estimated to be aged nine and ten, being raped by adult males. This evidence was presented to the court, significantly undermining Forster’s claims of innocence.

When re-interviewed, Forster maintained that the memory sticks were second-hand and refused to comment further, aside from admitting to taking photographs of the girl, which he claimed were not inappropriate. The prosecution argued that there was no credible explanation for how Forster could have accidentally touched the girl, and the presence of actively sought and saved indecent material on his devices was overwhelming evidence of his sexual interest in children.

During the trial, Forster denied four charges of sexually assaulting a child under 13, which involved at least eight alleged incidents. He also faced two counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one charge of possessing prohibited child images. Midway through the proceedings, after evidence from a police computer expert, Forster changed his pleas to guilty on the three charges related to indecent images, claiming curiosity motivated his actions.

Despite this, a jury unanimously convicted him of all four sexual assault charges. Judge Christopher Prince sentenced Forster to six years and eight months in prison, emphasizing the clear evidence of his sexual interest in children, as demonstrated by his computer use and the material found on his devices. The judge also imposed restrictions on Forster’s contact with anyone under 16, including a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a requirement to register as a sex offender for life.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Prince made it clear that Forster’s actions and the evidence presented left no doubt about his predatory behavior, which has now been formally condemned by the court.