JOHN HALL FROM HOWDEN SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE COMMITTED AT AGE 12

In a case that has taken over four decades to come to light, John Hall, a man from Howden, was finally brought to justice for heinous acts committed during his childhood. The offences, which involved the indecent assault of young children, were carried out when Hall was only 12 years old, and the victims were all under the age of 11 at the time.

It was only last year that the victims, now adults, decided to come forward and report the crimes to the police. Their courage led to Hall's arrest and subsequent conviction at Hull Crown Court. The court found him guilty of five counts of indecent assault, all of which took place in Goole, a nearby town. Hall, who is now 57 years old and resides in Silverdale, Howden, faced a sentencing hearing where the severity of his crimes was thoroughly examined.

During the proceedings, Hall’s defense lawyer, Robert Underwood, requested that the court consider suspending any prison sentence. He argued that Hall posed no ongoing danger to the public and emphasized the historical nature of the offences. Underwood stated, “In my submission, there is no indication at all here of any element of dangerousness. One has to have regard to the historic nature of the allegations. He should be sentenced in a way so he is not deprived of his liberty. It should be suspended.”

He further explained that Hall was a child himself when the offences occurred, which was over 40 years ago. The defense highlighted that Hall had not admitted to the offences and maintained that he did not believe the allegations, expressing a desire to rebuild his life and find closure for himself and his victims.

However, the presiding judge, Judge Jeremy Baker QC, was clear in his stance. He emphasized the profound and lasting trauma inflicted upon the victims, stating, “The trauma your victims have suffered since your offending means only a custodial sentence can be justified.”

Judge Baker recounted that the police had arrested and interviewed Hall last year, during which he denied the allegations and accused the victims of lying. The judge acknowledged the misconception that child abuse victims are less affected by their experiences, noting that all the victims, now adults, had given evidence that demonstrated the deep emotional scars they carry. “It is evident each of them has been profoundly affected throughout their adult lives,” he said.

He further remarked, “It is the nature and degree of the emotional harm your offending caused that dictates only a custodial sentence can be justified for this offending.”

As part of his sentence, Hall was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was prohibited from working with children in any capacity. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats such offences, regardless of the time elapsed since they were committed.