Evil child abuser who targeted youngsters for half a century is jailed

Derby Crown Court heard on Friday, May 20, how John Brian Hall, 69, of Jubilee Street, New Mills, began an abhorrent campaign during the 1960s and 70s and at one point he was later believed to have become involved in a paedophile ring.

Having already served jail sentences for indecencies and buggery, Hall was once again brought to justice on Friday, May 20, for sentencing for his oldest known offences from more than 40 years ago involving two male youths.

Judge Robert Egbuna told Hall: “Your ardour and pursuit of young men has not diminished in my view and a trial jury convicted you on April 19 of a series of sexual assaults against two young men.

“Offences of indecent assault, gross indecency and buggery were part of a campaign and you didn’t care about the victims who you knew were vulnerable.”

Hall committed more than 90 indecent assaults, acts of gross indecency and buggery between October, 1964, and September, 1975, against the two boys all represented as nine counts.

The defendant was convicted of two counts of indecently assaulting the first boy on more than ten occasions on each count, and with a further count against the same victim of committing an act of gross indecency on more than ten occasions.

These offences were committed between October 7, 1964, and October 8, 1972.

Hall was also convicted on five counts of indecently assaulting the second boy on more than ten occasions on each count and with a further count of committing buggery against this same youngster on more than ten occasions.

These offences were committed between September 12, 1971, and September 13, 1975.

The first boy was subjected to having his penis touched, oral sex and being present while the defendant masturbated while he was aged seven to 15.

The second boy was also subjected to having his penis touched, being forced to touch Hall’s penis, oral sex, being ejaculated upon and being subjected to buggery while he was aged 12 to 15.

Hall was also recently convicted at High Peak magistrates’ court of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by having contact with a child without informing the parent of his status on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Judge Egbuna told Hall: “You are evil and you would leave the first youngster in a bedroom and come back later having plied yourself with alcohol and you would abuse him and you would play with his penis.

“This would progress to sucking his penis and then you would lie back on the bed and ejaculate all over the bed and the victim recalled the smile on your face as you stroked his hair.

“He described being abused week after week from the age of seven and this went on until her was 15-years-old and you were in your 20s.

“The effect was devastating and it was visible to all when his video was played and he described the effect of the abuse and he became uncontrollable and he went into a trance and the police should be commended for coaxing him back.

“He has been left unable to trust men and he drank for a long period of time.

“The effect on the second victim when he saw you as a grown-up was that he urinated and wet himself.

“This abuse occurred in the 1970s when he was aged 12 to 15. You groomed and corrupted him from a young age and robbed him of his innocence.

“You squeezed his testicles, performed oral sex touched him and you would ejaculate in his mouth and penetrated his anum with your penis.

“And the abuse went on with acts of buggery and other abuse for a longer period of time.”

The court heard how Hall has previous convictions involving youngsters for buggery and indecent assault from 1981, buggery from 1984, an indecent assault conviction in 1990, and a further previous conviction in 1995, as well as a buggery conviction from 2001.

Judge Egbuna also highlighted that abuse had taken place between 1997 to 1999 at Hall’s former flat in Droylsden where other men went intending to abuse young children for which Hall was jailed and made subject to a SOPO.

He told the defendant: “It’s clear you have been offending since you were 17 years-old.”

He added: “It’s clear the harm caused to one of the complainants was immeasurable and it was extreme. You are manipulative. Your pre-sentence report views you as a person of on-going high risk of harm to children with a very high risk of re-conviction for sexual offences.”

Judge Egbuna sentenced Hall to 14 years of custody and he will continue to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

The judge also commended Derbyshire Constabulary’s handling of the case given the trauma suffered by the victims.

Following the court hearing, Detective Constable Greg Ward said: “John Hall is a man who preyed on young boys and used them for his own sexual gratification.

“The men involved, who were young boys at the time, gained the courage to come forward and contact police so Hall could be brought to justice.

“Hall has been previously convicted for a string of sexual offences and was placed on the Sexual Offenders Register.

“This was a joint investigation with Greater Manchester Police that lasted more than two years.”