Now his disgrace is complete: Stuart Hall admits sex abuse
Hall, 83, who had previously issued an impassioned denial, admitted 14 indecent assaults last month at Preston Crown Court but they could only be disclosed after reporting restrictions were lifted yesterday.
Outside court, the former It’s a Knockout presenter appeared a broken man, having heard his lawyer Crispin Aylett QC tell the court “he is only too aware his disgrace is complete”.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAfter an earlier court appearance in February, he had insisted the allegations against him were “pernicious, callous, cruel and above all spurious”.
Hall, who was awarded an OBE last year, was described yesterday as an “opportunistic predator” by Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for the North West.
He said: “His victims did not know each other and almost two decades separated the first and last assaults, but almost all of the victims, including one who was only nine at the time of the assault, provided strikingly similar accounts.
“Whether in public or private, Hall would first approach under friendly pretences and then bide his time until the victim was isolated. He can only be described as an opportunistic predator.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAt the hearing on April 16, Hall calmly and repeatedly answered “guilty” when the charges were put to him.
The court had heard a brief outline of the abuse suffered by three victims – in the 1980s Hall molested a nine-year-old girl by putting his hand up her clothing. He also kissed a 13-year-old girl on the lips after he said to her: “People need to show thanks in other ways.”
Hall was charged with those offences when he was arrested by Lancashire police on December 5, then subsequently charged with abusing 10 more girls and the rape of a 22-year-old woman, between 1968 and 1986.
A judge yesterday granted Hall bail until his sentencing on June 17 and he had been told last month he would be required to sign the Sex Offenders Register.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAn order made under the Contempt of Court Act 1981 was also lifted so the earlier pleas could be reported. It was put in place to avoid prejudicing a possible trial on the count of rape and three separate counts of indecent assault which Hall had denied.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said the Crown was satisfied the rape count could now lie on file. The three other charges were merged with a count Hall admitted involving one victim.
The disgraced presenter did not comment as he left court, and was led into a waiting taxi.
During the hearing, Mr Aylett said he proposed to present a “full mitigation in due course” but said his client’s guilty pleas were the best possible mitigation.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“The most recent offence took place in 1986, that is 27 years ago. The first offence in 1968 is almost half a century ago,” he added. “The defendant is now 83 years of age and of otherwise exemplary character, and as might be imagined this investigation has come as an especially bitter blow at this stage of his life.”
The judge told Hall : “You must understand I have not made up my mind and that all sentencing options including immediate custody are open.”
Following his guilty pleas, the BBC said it would not be featuring Hall again in its programmes. He was a regular contributor to Radio 5 Live prior to his arrest.
The BBC said an ongoing search had so far uncovered no written record of complaints “of a sexual nature” against him, but it would be contacting Lancashire Police to see if any offences had been carried out on its premises.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA former managing editor of 5 Live said yesterday he had heard no rumours about Hall, despite claims he’d had a room set aside at the BBC to entertain “lady friends”.
Linda McDougall, who worked as a producer in Manchester in the 60s and 70s, said Hall had used an old medical room at the BBC building at Piccadilly. “I can’t say that he was having sex with them there because I wasn’t ever in the medical room at the same time but I always thought that they weren’t coming for cups of tea,” she said.