This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22948133
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Stuart Hall 'got off lightly' with sex attacks sentence | Stuart Hall 'got off lightly' with sex attacks sentence |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall "got off very lightly" with a 15 month jail sentence for sexually abusing girls, a victim support charity has said. | BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall "got off very lightly" with a 15 month jail sentence for sexually abusing girls, a victim support charity has said. |
| The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) said the tariff showed his crimes were not taken "seriously enough". | |
| The 83-year-old admitted 14 offences against girls aged nine to 17 between 1967 and 1985. | The 83-year-old admitted 14 offences against girls aged nine to 17 between 1967 and 1985. |
| The Attorney General's Office said it had had requests to review the tariff. | The Attorney General's Office said it had had requests to review the tariff. |
| Napac chief executive Peter Saunders said he had "lost count of how many people have said to me in the last 24 hours 'what a lenient sentence'. | |
| "If more people understood the consequences for the victims and the life-long misery that many of them suffer as a result of these crimes, I think most would agree that Stuart Hall has got off very lightly," he said. | |
| "We need to look at sentencing [as] the judge could have given a stiffer sentence. What this is saying is that the judiciary in this case have not taken the crime seriously enough. | "We need to look at sentencing [as] the judge could have given a stiffer sentence. What this is saying is that the judiciary in this case have not taken the crime seriously enough. |
| "It has to be zero tolerance and the right punishment for the crime." | "It has to be zero tolerance and the right punishment for the crime." |
| 'Total disregard' | 'Total disregard' |
| Passing sentence on Monday, Judge Anthony Russell QC said for most of Hall's offences the maximum sentence at the time they were committed was two years, but the remainder carried a potential term of five years. | Passing sentence on Monday, Judge Anthony Russell QC said for most of Hall's offences the maximum sentence at the time they were committed was two years, but the remainder carried a potential term of five years. |
| He added: "The maximum sentence for this type of offence has been significantly increased, since these offences were committed, to 10 years." | He added: "The maximum sentence for this type of offence has been significantly increased, since these offences were committed, to 10 years." |
| The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) chief executive Peter Wanless said the sentence was "not a great day for justice". | The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) chief executive Peter Wanless said the sentence was "not a great day for justice". |
| "Hall will be free within months but the trauma he caused his victims will stay with them a lot longer - possibly for the rest of their lives," he said. | "Hall will be free within months but the trauma he caused his victims will stay with them a lot longer - possibly for the rest of their lives," he said. |
| "He has shown total disregard for their feelings, even arrogantly branding them liars. | "He has shown total disregard for their feelings, even arrogantly branding them liars. |
| "Whilst it's commendable that this case was pursued even after such a long passage of time the end result is not a great day for justice or for the victims." | "Whilst it's commendable that this case was pursued even after such a long passage of time the end result is not a great day for justice or for the victims." |
| Hall was initially arrested in December and made a statement labelling the claims "pernicious, callous, cruel and above all spurious". | Hall was initially arrested in December and made a statement labelling the claims "pernicious, callous, cruel and above all spurious". |
| He has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century, and was appointed OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours. | He has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century, and was appointed OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours. |