PHILIP HANN OF STOCKTON SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR KIDNAPPING WOMAN NEAR TEES BARRAGE
In June 2022, a disturbing case unfolded involving Philip Hann, a known sex offender from Stockton, who was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment following a brutal kidnapping incident.Hann, who had previously served 24 years in prison for a series of heinous crimes, was released in 2018 but continued to pose a significant threat to the community.
On this particular day, Hann targeted a lone woman walking along a quiet footpath near the Tees Barrage.
Wearing a balaclava and multiple layers of clothing, he approached her armed with a knife, creating an atmosphere of terror.
The court heard that Hann had left his home in Stockton the previous year with the intent to commit a serious sexual offence, carrying a homemade balaclava and a weapon.
According to the prosecution, Robin Patton, Hann confronted the woman, who was simply out for a walk.
He brandished the knife and lunged at her, grabbing her and pressing the blade against her face, causing a cut.
He then attempted to drag her towards a hole in the fence, aiming to lead her onto wasteland where he intended to carry out a sexual assault.
The woman, terrified and determined to resist, clung onto a wire fence as Hann tried to overpower her.
Despite the aggressive assault, the woman fought back fiercely.
Her resistance caused Hann to momentarily give up his attack, and he told her to run away.
In a hurried attempt to evade detection, Hann discarded his top layer of clothing and his balaclava as he fled the scene.
However, his escape was short-lived.
A vigilant witness noticed his suspicious behavior and alerted the police, who quickly responded to the scene.
During the subsequent investigation, law enforcement officers recovered Hann’s unregistered mobile phone.
The device contained numerous photographs of vulnerable young women in isolated areas, taken without their knowledge, indicating a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.
The victim of the attack sustained a permanent scar on her face and continues to struggle with the trauma inflicted by the assault.
The court also examined Hann’s criminal history, which includes a previous life sentence for the rape and serious sexual assaults of three young women in the early 1990s.
His history of violence and predatory conduct underscored the severity of his latest offence.
Hann, 55, of Skinner Street, Stockton, pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, attempting to commit a sexual offence, and possession of a knife.
Judge Christopher Smith sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years and two months.
The judge emphasized the meticulous planning involved in the offence, noting Hann’s prior efforts to avoid detection by creating a balaclava and following women in the area.
“You engaged in a considerable degree of planning before you committed this offence,” the judge stated.
“You had made yourself a balaclava to avoid detection, armed yourself with a knife, and targeted a lone victim.
The trauma inflicted on her may take years to heal, if it is ever possible.” As part of his sentence, Hann was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.
