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Stuart Hall jail sentence faces legal review Stuart Hall jail sentence faces legal review
(about 5 hours later)
The court of appeal is to review whether the 15-month sentence imposed on the veteran broadcaster Stuart Hall for a series of sex attacks on girls as young as nine is unduly lenient.The court of appeal is to review whether the 15-month sentence imposed on the veteran broadcaster Stuart Hall for a series of sex attacks on girls as young as nine is unduly lenient.
The attorney general, Dominic Grieve QC, has decided that judges need to examine whether the prison term is appropriate for the crimes committed by the former BBC presenter over a period of two decades. The attorney general, Dominic Grieve QC, has decided that senior judges need to examine whether the prison term is appropriate for the crimes committed by the former BBC presenter over a period of two decades.
Complaints that Hall, now 83, had got off lightly began shortly after he was led from the dock at Preston crown court last month. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of indecent assault. Some of his offences occurred as long ago as 1968. Complaints that Hall, 83, had got off lightly began shortly after he was led from the dock at Preston crown court last month. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of indecent assault. Some of his offences occurred as long ago as 1968.
"Having carefully reviewed this case, the attorney general, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has decided to refer the sentence of Stuart Hall to the court of appeal for review," his office said in a statement issued on Thursday. "Having carefully reviewed this case, the attorney general, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has decided to refer the sentence of Stuart Hall to the court of appeal for review," his office said in a statement.
"The case will in due course be heard by three court of appeal judges who will decide whether or not the sentence is unduly lenient and whether they should increase the sentence.""The case will in due course be heard by three court of appeal judges who will decide whether or not the sentence is unduly lenient and whether they should increase the sentence."
The hearing is likely take place within the next two months. The appeal court hearing is likely to take place within the next two months. Hall was found to have exploited his role as a BBC presenter to target four of his victims. He assaulted others at his home, having invited them on the pretence of giving elocution lessons.
Initially, Hall had made a public pronouncement on the steps of a court, describing all the claims against him as "cruel, pernicious and spurious". More women came forward as a result of publicity and Hall eventually admitted the sexual offences.
Among those who criticised Hall's jail term for being "unduly lenient" was the shadow attorney general, Emily Thornberry MP, who urged Grieve to investigate. Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour party, also called for the sentence to be referred to the court of appeal.
Alan Collins, from law firm Pannone, who is representing 17 of Hall's victims, said: "First and foremost it is important to note that Stuart Hall was found guilty in a court of law and sentenced for his crimes. It is reassuring for victims to know that they can come forward, that their complaints will be dealt with by the police and other authorities sympathetically and properly, and that custodial sentences can and will be handed down.
"We do echo the view of many sexual abuse victims and groups representing them that sentences should reflect the seriousness of the crimes committed, and the decision to review Stuart Hall's sentence is to be welcomed."
The attorney general said this year that the number of sentences referred to his office for being possibly too lenient had surged to a record high of 435 in 2012 – up from 377 in 2011 and 342 in 2010.
Of the 435 sentences referred in 2012, 344 were eligible for consideration. Of those, 82 cases were heard in the court of appeal, resulting in 62 offenders receiving an increased sentence.
The number of appeals to the Attorney General over lenient sentences for sexual offences alone rose to 110 last year from 51 in 2011, the Solicitor General Oliver Heald told the Commons.
Welcoming Grieve's decision, Thornberry said: "Labour called on the Attorney General to refer Stuart Hall's sentence to the Court of Appeal back in June and I welcome his decision to do so.
"A sentence of 15 months does not appear to reflect the gravity of his crimes, which included a sexual assault on a girl as young as nine.
"Fifteen months is substantially less than the maximum sentence that was available to the judge and it is right that it is being looked at again. We need to be confident that the criminal justice system takes child abuse seriously.
"Only that way will victims feel confident that they can come forward. It is now for the Court of Appeal to decide whether the sentence should be changed."