In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Stuart Eager, then 70, a former law firm partner and choir member, was sentenced for the “wicked” sexual exploitation of a child. On Friday, 24 May 2019, Eager, of Lady Lane, Blunsdon, Swindon, Wiltshire, was handed a custodial sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court, Hampshire, after a jury unanimously found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault.
The investigation established that in the 1980s, Eager used his position at a Havant church choir to target an 11-to-12-year-old boy. The “Machiavellian” predator befriended the child and used the ruse of giving him a lift home in his car to facilitate the abuse. At Budds Farm, Havant, Eager performed “driving lessons,” getting the boy to sit on his lap to “do the gears” before putting his hand down the child’s trousers to fondle his genitalia. To ensure silence, Eager manipulated the boy by telling him he would get into trouble for “letting” the abuse happen.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Eager had previously been convicted for similar offences against young boys in Wymering, Portsmouth, during the same decade. Portsmouth Crown Court heard that Eager was so “thrilled” by the abuse that he documented the encounters in his personal diary, including a entry about giving a chorister a “driving lesson.” Judge William Ashworth noted that the defendant’s “ruthless” and “sordid” entrapment of the defenceless boy had “messed up” the survivor’s life for over three decades.
The judge noted that Eager appeared to anticipate his fate, arriving at court with suitcases for prison and arranging for a friend to take his phone. Despite the defence attempting to cast doubt on the victim’s motives regarding compensation, the jury rejected Eager’s denials. For his actions in Havant, Hampshire, and his history in Swindon, Wiltshire, the court determined that the defendant’s “tendency” to exploit young boys made him a significant danger.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Stuart Eager was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Immediate term of imprisonment at Portsmouth Crown Court.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced following a unanimous guilty verdict on three counts of indecent assault.
- Historical Profile: Noted as a repeat offender with a history of targeting boys in church settings.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Eager is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Wiltshire Police, Hampshire Constabulary, and the prison estate. Due to the “wicked” nature of the attacks in Havant and his prior convictions in Wymering, Portsmouth, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Eager must comply with notification requirements regarding any future residence in Blunsdon, Swindon, Wiltshire, or elsewhere for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his history as a “devious monster” who used positions of trust within the church and law firms necessitates permanent and intense scrutiny of his social associations. Any breach of his registration conditions or future licence terms upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Portsmouth Crown Court.
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