GARY HOODLESS FROM BIRSTALL AND DEWSBURY MOOR JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Birstall and Dewsbury Moor, Gary Hoodless, aged 41, has been sentenced to a significant prison term after being convicted of multiple historic sexual offences involving two young boys he was entrusted to care for as a teenager.

The sentencing took place at Leeds Crown Court, where Judge Penelope Belcher handed down a three-year prison sentence to Hoodless for a series of seven counts related to sexual misconduct, including buggery, indecent assault on a male, and acts of indecency with a child. These offences occurred during the late 1980s, specifically between September 1986 and June 1987, when Hoodless was just 14 years old and residing in Birstall.

The victims, both under the age of 11 at the time, were subjected to abuse while they watched television with Hoodless. During the trial, it was revealed that Hoodless threatened the boys with a stick kept in the kitchen cupboard, warning them against revealing what was happening. Despite the threats, the abuse continued, causing lasting trauma to the victims.

The court heard that Hoodless, who is a father of three and lived on Moorside Road in Dewsbury Moor, had committed these acts while he was a teenager. The offences only came to light after another man made allegations of abuse dating back to the early 1990s. However, Hoodless was acquitted of those particular charges at trial. The court also imposed a sexual offences prevention order as part of his sentence.

During the proceedings, Richard Canning, representing Hoodless, emphasized that his client had not re-offended since the incidents and highlighted his efforts to lead a responsible life. Canning stated, “He has worked for the majority of his adult life, he has raised a family, and he has bettered himself over the last 27 years. The impact on his own family of any custodial sentence would be devastating.”

Despite these arguments, Judge Belcher acknowledged the severity of the offences, noting the distress caused to the victims. She pointed out that Hoodless was aware that his actions were unwelcome but continued for his own sexual gratification. The judge also highlighted the long-term effects on one of the victims, who is now in his 30s and has struggled with depression, including multiple suicide attempts and ongoing use of anti-depressants.

The case was further complicated by the fact that Hoodless denied all charges, claiming that the allegations were fabricated. Nevertheless, the jury found him guilty of seven counts related to the abuse of the two boys but acquitted him of thirteen other charges, including allegations involving a third boy in the early 1990s. The sentencing is scheduled for April 7, and the court's decision underscores the gravity of the crimes committed by Hoodless in the Dewsbury Moor and Birstall areas.