Pervert used crowd to hide assaults on girls
He had been released early from prison only months before
A‘PREDATORY’ paedophile sexually assaulted three young girls at a family event months after being released early from prison.
Stuart Eyles preyed on the children while attempting to disguise himself in a crowd of hundreds of locals at the event in Stockport last summer.
When the girls complained to their parents and Eyles was pointed out as the culprit, he denied wrongdoing but confessed to drinking seven pints of beer.
The police were called and the three girls, all under the age of 18, told officers that Eyles had approached them and touched them inappropriately.
Eyles was on licence at the time having been locked up for 30 months in April 2021 after pleading guilty to 57 offences involving online grooming and possessing child pornography.
The 47-year-old was also on the Sex Offender Register; had been made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) banning him from having any contact with children under 16 and had completed a Home Office ‘Horizon’ programme aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders.
It is thought Eyles was freed early from jail in July 2022 under government rules allowing the automatic release of prisoners halfway through their sentences.
He had three months left on his parole when he struck again.
At Minshull Street Crown Court earlier this month, Eyles, of Buckley Drive, Romiley, Stockport, was jailed for 15 months after being convicted of three charges of sexual assault.
The SHPO order will be renewed for another 10 years.
Sentencing, Recorder Alexandra Simmonds told Eyles his behaviour had been ‘predatory and opportunistic’.
“You took advantage of the crowds to try and disguise your behaviour and it was the deliberate target of young girls on your part,” she added.
In a statement to police, the father of one of the girls said the incident had ‘rocked’ his daughter’s confidence.
“As for me I feel terrible too as I feel I have let my daughter down, I’ve hardly slept since,” he added.
The mum of another victim said her daughter had become ‘socially withdrawn’ and had undergone counselling ‘to cope with the trauma’.
Following the sentencing, police have released a statement commending the victims for their bravery in reporting Eyles and have urged anyone who has suffered from abuse to come forward.
Detective Sergeant Ruth Pollard, of GMP’s Stockport Child Protection Unit, said: “The nature of these offences must not be underestimated.
“Sexual offences can have a damaging impact on the victims, creating trauma that they have to then carry with them for the rest of their lives.
“The victims are being supported by our policing partners and on behalf of the investigation team we would like to thank the victims for their extraordinary bravery in coming forward and reporting Eyles and I’d also like to appeal to anyone who has suffered from abuse to please get in touch so we can help you.
“We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, or knows someone who has, to get in touch with GMP.
We will listen to you and we will investigate.”
Greater Manchester Police can be contacted via 101 or through the Live Chat function on the website, www.gmp.police.uk. Reports can also be made anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.