DAVID HAMLANI'S REIGN OF TERROR IN SOUTH SHIELDS: SEX OFFENDER BACK BEHIND BARS AFTER BREACH

In a troubling development, David Hamlani, a known sex offender from South Shields, has been re-incarcerated following a series of violations that have raised serious concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of the current monitoring system.

Hamlani, who was initially sentenced to 20 months in prison in January 2012 for the sexual assault of two 15-year-old girls in a Metro station underpass, was released on licence in October of the same year. Despite serving only half of his sentence, he was required to adhere to strict conditions, including registering as a sex offender for a period of ten years and providing police with his current address and any changes thereto.

However, his freedom was short-lived. In November, South Shields Magistrates’ Court heard that Hamlani had committed a violent act by punching a shopkeeper. Fearing that this assault might lead to his return to prison, he fled from his residence on Bamford Walk in South Shields, thus breaching the terms of his sex offenders’ register obligations.

Following a three-week police manhunt, Hamlani was apprehended. During the court proceedings, he pleaded guilty to both the assault and the breach of the sex offenders’ register. Prosecutor Gary Buckley detailed the incident, stating, “On November 13, he and a friend were in a local shop, where he was causing trouble. He punched his victim, who works in the shop, once on the side of his head and ran away. The incident was captured on CCTV.”

He further explained that when police attempted to locate Hamlani on December 5, he was not at his home, prompting authorities to recall him to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Magistrates considered his early guilty plea and the fact that this was his first breach of the register, but ultimately decided to impose a 12-month conditional discharge for the assault and breach.

Nevertheless, Hamlani was remanded to serve the remaining ten months of his original sentence for the sexual assaults committed in 2009. During that incident, he assaulted two 15-year-old girls in Brockley Whins, with one girl being pinned against a wall in an underpass and the other sexually assaulted near an exit. The court heard that the assaults involved intimidation and occurred while the victims were with friends.

The judge, Judge Michael Cartlidge, expressed his disapproval, stating, “The girls have been very upset by what has happened. There was a background of intimidation. I cannot impose a sentence that is not custody.”

Details of the 2009 offences reveal that Hamlani approached the first victim as she and her friend passed through the underpass, attempting to make drunken advances. When rebuffed, he turned his attention to another girl and assaulted her. Additionally, he was found guilty in 2006 of exposing himself to a woman in public, further highlighting a pattern of concerning behavior.

Hamlani’s case underscores ongoing challenges in managing sex offenders and preventing recidivism, especially when breaches of legal obligations occur. His actions have once again placed him at the center of public safety concerns in South Shields, prompting calls for stricter monitoring and intervention measures to protect the community.