MICHAEL BANKS JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN HILSEA AFTER 40 YEARS OF SILENCE

In a long-awaited victory for justice, Michael Banks, a man from Hilsea, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a series of heinous crimes committed against two young girls spanning from the 1960s to the 1980s. The conviction marks the culmination of a complex and emotionally charged legal process that finally brought closure to victims who endured decades of silence and fear.

Michael Banks, now 71 years old, was found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court after a week-long trial that revealed disturbing details of his actions. During the proceedings, Banks was described by the court as an 'overpowering bully,' a characterization that underscored the manipulative and coercive tactics he employed against his victims. The court heard evidence of multiple charges, including rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency with a child, all of which Banks continues to deny.

For many years, the victims—whose identities are protected by law—remained too terrified to come forward. Their silence was driven by fear of Banks, who had a reputation for intimidation and control. It was only last year that one of the women, summoning her courage after decades of suffering, finally reported Banks to the authorities. Her decision to speak out was a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice.

Following Banks's conviction, she expressed a mixture of relief and lingering pain. She told The News, “I sat through the trial crying my eyes out. Justice has been done because he’s in jail. I’m glad he is locked up and I wish I had gone to the police years ago but at the moment it’s still very raw. I have just relived the whole experience as if I was a child again.” She further explained that her fear of Banks had haunted her entire life but that her decision to report him marked a turning point.

“All my life I have been scared of him and I’m not now,” she said. “That’s why I went to the police and went to court. I thought it was time he got brought to justice. I’m glad he is off the streets but I’m very upset, very angry and every emotion you can think of.”

Michael Banks’s conviction was based on evidence presented during the trial, which detailed his abuse of the two girls. The court also learned that Banks had a prior conviction for child abuse dating back to the 1960s, raising concerns that there may be other victims who have yet to come forward. The victim expressed her hope that others might recognize Banks’s face and realize they, too, had been harmed.

She reflected on the emotional toll of the trial, stating, “Having to listen to all his lies during the trial was hard but thankfully people saw through that. I know in time I will hopefully move on but I don’t know, it’s never going to leave my head. Now someone else might recognize his photo and think, ‘he did something to me years ago’. He’s been shown for what he is now, there’s no need to be frightened any more.”