ERIK OLSON SENTENCED TO OVER SEVEN YEARS FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN COWES

In August 2021, a man from Cowes was handed a substantial prison sentence after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses involving a minor. Erik Olson, aged 47, appeared before Salisbury Crown Court last Tuesday to face charges related to his misconduct. Olson, who resides on Newport Road in Cowes, pleaded guilty to a series of disturbing crimes, including two counts of sexually assaulting a child, five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, and causing a child to observe a sexual act. These offenses were committed over a period spanning from January 1, 2019, to June 14, 2020.

It is noteworthy that a charge of possessing 412 indecent images of a child was left unresolved and was not pursued further in court. Initially, Olson had denied all allegations, but his decision to change his plea to guilty resulted in a reduction of his potential sentence by 20 percent. Had he maintained his innocence, he could have faced a maximum of nine years in prison. The presiding judge, Susan Evans, emphasized the importance of guilty pleas in such cases, noting that they help spare victims from the trauma of a trial. Her comments underscored the significance of acknowledging guilt in order to provide some measure of relief to the victims and their families.

Olson, who is an amputee and uses a wheelchair, is set to serve a total of 86 months in custody. His sentence is structured so that he will spend approximately two-thirds of that time behind bars, with the remaining period on license, under supervision. During the court proceedings, Robert Griffiths, the prosecutor, revealed that Olson had told police during an interview that he had not been in contact with any women, young or old, for a very long time and claimed to have lost control. The victim’s mother expressed her anguish, stating that her child would carry the emotional scars of this abuse for the rest of her life.

Judge Susan Evans acknowledged the profound and lasting impact of such abuse, stating, “The court knows this sort of abuse is life-changing, the memory of which cannot ever be erased.” As part of his sentence, Olson will be registered on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice. The County Press policy typically includes publishing police photographs of individuals sentenced to more than 12 months in prison, in accordance with Hampshire Constabulary guidelines. However, in this case, Hampshire Constabulary was unable to provide an image of Olson for publication.