Former soldier from Skegness jailed for 18 years for child sex offences
The court heard the offending spanned more than two decades
A former soldier from Skegness has been jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of 15 sexual offences involving children.
Gareth Evans-Balmforth, 52, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday 15th October.
He was also given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order by the judge during the sentencing hearing.
The offences
In August, Evans-Balmforth was found guilty of four counts of gross indecency with a child under 14.
He was also found guilty of four counts of inciting a child under 14 to commit an act of gross indecency.
The other offences were attempted sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, sexual assault, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and three counts of indecent exposure.
What the court heard
The court heard Evans-Balmforth started his offending while he was a serving army officer based in Shropshire and Yorkshire.
He was then posted abroad, where he continued offending while living on army barracks.
His offending was reported to West Mercia Police in 2022.
An investigation found there were several victims over more than two decades.
Police response
Detective Constable Rhian Jackson, the investigating officer, said: "I welcome yesterday's sentence of 18 years' imprisonment for Evans-Balmforth for these appalling offences."
She said: "I would like to pay tribute to the victims, whose courage and resilience throughout this investigation and court process has been remarkable. By coming forward, they have helped ensure he has been held accountable for his actions."
She said: "Evans-Balmforth abused positions of trust and exploited environments where children should have felt safe and protected. The impact of his offending on the victims cannot be underestimated."
She added: "I hope this sentence provides them with a sense of justice and helps them as they continue to move forward with their lives."