Sex offender Hall has prison term doubled
DISGRACED former BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has had his sentence for a string of child sex offences doubled.
STUART HALL: The judge said the star had lived a lie for more than half of his life. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
The jailed former presenter of TV show It's a Knockout is to serve 30
months in prison after the decision by the Court of Appeal.
Hall watched via video link from prison as three senior judges told him the original 15 month prison term was inadequate for the seriousness of the crimes.
The 83-year-old, who until recently had been a radio football reporter, was responsible for 14 counts of indecent assault against girls as young as nine between 1967 and 1987. There have since been suggestions others may also have been attacked.
Hall did not react to the decision.
The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, had argued Hall's sentence at Preston last month was unduly lenient as it failed to adequately reflect the gravity of his offending and subsequent public concern.
Yesterday Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge said Hall got away with it for decades and had "lived a lie for more than half of his life".
Mr Grieve later revealed he had asked the court to take into account Hall's repeated offending involving a number of victims over 20 years.
The judges were also asked to look at the breach of trust aspect and his celebrity status as the victims were assaulted at the BBC. He said there was also an element of planning and premeditation.
Hall directly exploited his role as a popular BBC presenter to target four of his victims, while he assaulted another four on the pretence of giving elocution lessons to them at his home.
Before entering guilty pleas, he had denounced the allegations as "cruel, pernicious and spurious".
Mr Grieve added: "I am pleased the court found 15 months was unduly lenient and have increased that sentence to 30 months.
"I hope this case has highlighted the fact that historical sexual offences are always taken very seriously and show that the law still applies, whoever the offender may be."
Mr Hall was charged in December last year with three offences, but more women came forward as a result of publicity and he was rearrested before he later admitted sexual offences relating to 13 victims.
The judge in the original case at Preston Crown Court said Hall would have received 20 months after a trial but reduced the sentence to reflect his guilty pleas. He also called it as 'by no means the worst example' of child sexual abuse to come before a court.
Hall's counsel, Crispin Aylett QC, had told the appeal judges the original sentence was entirely appropriate.
Meanwhile, one alleged victim who called herself Jane and said she was attacked by Hall in the 1980s spoke out.
She said: "Stuart Hall has not shown any remorse whatsoever.
"I feel that he should be made to be accountable and he should be accountable face to face with any of the victims who would be willing to put him through that process."
Lawyers for 17 women who are bringing compensation claims against Hall and the BBC also welcomed the decision.
Hall watched via video link from prison as three senior judges told him the original 15 month prison term was inadequate for the seriousness of the crimes.
The 83-year-old, who until recently had been a radio football reporter, was responsible for 14 counts of indecent assault against girls as young as nine between 1967 and 1987. There have since been suggestions others may also have been attacked.
Hall did not react to the decision.
The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, had argued Hall's sentence at Preston last month was unduly lenient as it failed to adequately reflect the gravity of his offending and subsequent public concern.
Yesterday Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge said Hall got away with it for decades and had "lived a lie for more than half of his life".
Mr Grieve later revealed he had asked the court to take into account Hall's repeated offending involving a number of victims over 20 years.
The judges were also asked to look at the breach of trust aspect and his celebrity status as the victims were assaulted at the BBC. He said there was also an element of planning and premeditation.
Hall directly exploited his role as a popular BBC presenter to target four of his victims, while he assaulted another four on the pretence of giving elocution lessons to them at his home.
Before entering guilty pleas, he had denounced the allegations as "cruel, pernicious and spurious".
Mr Grieve added: "I am pleased the court found 15 months was unduly lenient and have increased that sentence to 30 months.
"I hope this case has highlighted the fact that historical sexual offences are always taken very seriously and show that the law still applies, whoever the offender may be."
Mr Hall was charged in December last year with three offences, but more women came forward as a result of publicity and he was rearrested before he later admitted sexual offences relating to 13 victims.
The judge in the original case at Preston Crown Court said Hall would have received 20 months after a trial but reduced the sentence to reflect his guilty pleas. He also called it as 'by no means the worst example' of child sexual abuse to come before a court.
Hall's counsel, Crispin Aylett QC, had told the appeal judges the original sentence was entirely appropriate.
Meanwhile, one alleged victim who called herself Jane and said she was attacked by Hall in the 1980s spoke out.
She said: "Stuart Hall has not shown any remorse whatsoever.
"I feel that he should be made to be accountable and he should be accountable face to face with any of the victims who would be willing to put him through that process."
Lawyers for 17 women who are bringing compensation claims against Hall and the BBC also welcomed the decision.
One only wonders why not put him away for the rest of his (no doubt limited) life!
ReplyDeleteHe has been guilty of the abuse and torture of the young girls for decades, has lived a good life while his victims were suffering with the consequences of this reptile, and has not taken any responsibility..... He lied and cheated to all and everything, and enjoyed life... he got payed for years as a normal person, and meanwhile the people abused were living theirs in horror, every time they saw the guy or heard him!
This guy should have been put away for the rest of his life, and not being sentenced to something as if he robbed a bank!
He ruined human lives for his pleasure! And that needs to be punished!
Lets hope that his fellow inmates will make his life a hell!