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Stuart Hall 'got off lightly' with sex attacks sentence | Stuart Hall 'got off lightly' with sex attacks sentence |
(about 1 hour 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 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. |
A spokesman said the department had a 28 day window to decide whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal. | |
He said the attorney general would study the judge's sentencing remarks and take representations from the Crown Prosecution Service before making a decision. | |
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. | "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." |
Guidelines published by the Sentencing Council state a number of factors, such as the seriousness of the offence, the harm caused to victims and the risk of reoffending, must be taken into account when a tariff is set. | |
A spokesman for the Judiciary of England and Wales declined to comment on the sentence. | |
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. |