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| Stuart Hall manipulated girls to accept years of sexual abuse, court hears | Stuart Hall manipulated girls to accept years of sexual abuse, court hears |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The veteran broadcaster Stuart Hall conditioned two young girls to accept years of sexual abuse at his hands, a court has heard. | |
| Hall, 84, manipulated both of them until they became "subservient and submissive" to his demands, Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, told a jury at Preston crown court, adding: "It was their secret." | |
| Hall, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, is said to have embarked on the abuse of one of his victims while she was under 13 and he was in his 40s. | |
| The broadcaster, by then a television celebrity, allegedly raped one girl after taking her as his guest to the BBC studios in Oxford Road, Manchester. | The broadcaster, by then a television celebrity, allegedly raped one girl after taking her as his guest to the BBC studios in Oxford Road, Manchester. |
| The prosecution says the 14-year-old was plied with alcohol before submitting to his sexual assault and later being taken home in his car. She did not complain at the time, the court heard, and her intoxication "seemed to be a topic of humour" between Hall and her mother. | The prosecution says the 14-year-old was plied with alcohol before submitting to his sexual assault and later being taken home in his car. She did not complain at the time, the court heard, and her intoxication "seemed to be a topic of humour" between Hall and her mother. |
| The girls came forward independently in 2013. Wright said that until that time Hall had been able to prey for decades on their vulnerability. | The girls came forward independently in 2013. Wright said that until that time Hall had been able to prey for decades on their vulnerability. |
| Hall sat in the dock with his hands clasped in his lap as Wright told the jury the broadcaster did not dispute having had intercourse with each of his alleged victims, instead maintaining that the activity was consensual. | Hall sat in the dock with his hands clasped in his lap as Wright told the jury the broadcaster did not dispute having had intercourse with each of his alleged victims, instead maintaining that the activity was consensual. |
| The prosecution alleges that he started to have sex with them earlier than he was prepared to admit and "in circumstances that were some distance removed from any happy consensual sexual relationship between two people on an equal footing and of equal capacity, able to make and to exercise that choice". | |
| The abuse did not come about because either girl was sexually attracted to "this middle-aged man who was almost three times their age", Wright said. | The abuse did not come about because either girl was sexually attracted to "this middle-aged man who was almost three times their age", Wright said. |
| "It happened because each of them was at the time emotionally and physically extremely vulnerable by reason of their situation and age. He exploited that vulnerability and immaturity. He flattered them and paid attention to them. It was their secret. | "It happened because each of them was at the time emotionally and physically extremely vulnerable by reason of their situation and age. He exploited that vulnerability and immaturity. He flattered them and paid attention to them. It was their secret. |
| "He exploited the position of influence he had over each of them for his own sexual gratification. He relied on an acceptance by them of their predicament. | "He exploited the position of influence he had over each of them for his own sexual gratification. He relied on an acceptance by them of their predicament. |
| "As time went on they became subservient and wholly submissive to his sexual demands." | "As time went on they became subservient and wholly submissive to his sexual demands." |
| Wright described the girls as having been "young, impressionable teenagers, being groomed by a sexual predator into satisfying his sexual requirements". | Wright described the girls as having been "young, impressionable teenagers, being groomed by a sexual predator into satisfying his sexual requirements". |
| But now, Wright said, "their silence has been broken and they are prepared to reveal publicly what happened to them at the hands of this man all those years ago". | But now, Wright said, "their silence has been broken and they are prepared to reveal publicly what happened to them at the hands of this man all those years ago". |
| Girl A was aged 10 when Hall allegedly grabbed hold of her around the chest in a swimming bath. With the onset of puberty, aged 12 or 13, he would compliment her on her looks and appearance, the prosecution said. | Girl A was aged 10 when Hall allegedly grabbed hold of her around the chest in a swimming bath. With the onset of puberty, aged 12 or 13, he would compliment her on her looks and appearance, the prosecution said. |
| Wright suggested there may have been "a degree of adulation" on the part of the girl when, aged 14, she went with him to the BBC studios. | Wright suggested there may have been "a degree of adulation" on the part of the girl when, aged 14, she went with him to the BBC studios. |
| Hall, who was working on a pilot programme, allegedly took her to his dressing room where he gave her cigarettes, plied her with alcohol until she was intoxicated, and then had sex with her. "It is the prosecution's case that he raped her," said Wright. | Hall, who was working on a pilot programme, allegedly took her to his dressing room where he gave her cigarettes, plied her with alcohol until she was intoxicated, and then had sex with her. "It is the prosecution's case that he raped her," said Wright. |
| "At the time she was not consenting; rather she was submitting to his sexual assault on her by virtue of her condition and the circumstances she found herself in. | "At the time she was not consenting; rather she was submitting to his sexual assault on her by virtue of her condition and the circumstances she found herself in. |
| "She had neither the freedom nor capacity to make a choice or freely to exercise it. We say he realised she was not consenting … yet he pressed on and had sex with her regardless. It was not something he considered she had any say in. She was there for him to do as he wanted." | "She had neither the freedom nor capacity to make a choice or freely to exercise it. We say he realised she was not consenting … yet he pressed on and had sex with her regardless. It was not something he considered she had any say in. She was there for him to do as he wanted." |
| "Afterwards, the girl blamed herself rather than her abuser. She concluded that the drink had led to her engaging in sex with him." | "Afterwards, the girl blamed herself rather than her abuser. She concluded that the drink had led to her engaging in sex with him." |
| When Girl A reached 15, Hall frequently invited her to the BBC studios and then to his dressing room. Having plied her with drink, he would allegedly either rape her or give her a massage. On other occasions he is said to have engaged in oral sex with her. | When Girl A reached 15, Hall frequently invited her to the BBC studios and then to his dressing room. Having plied her with drink, he would allegedly either rape her or give her a massage. On other occasions he is said to have engaged in oral sex with her. |
| The girl estimated he had intercourse with her at least 30 times. | The girl estimated he had intercourse with her at least 30 times. |
| On occasion he allegedly gave her money with which to treat herself. "You may wish to consider whether he did this as an act of generosity or for less noble reasons," Wright said. | On occasion he allegedly gave her money with which to treat herself. "You may wish to consider whether he did this as an act of generosity or for less noble reasons," Wright said. |
| Girl A had got married by the time she eventually told her husband about the alleged abuse. Her husband then tried to blackmail her into giving him money, the court heard, telling her that if she didn't pay him, he would inform her family. His conduct led to their estrangement and she then informed relatives herself. | |
| The alleged abuse of Girl B began when she was either 11 or 12 and had yet to reach puberty. On that first occasion, the prosecution said, Hall raped her against a wall in a stable. "He flattered her and told her she was special and that he loved her," said Wright. | The alleged abuse of Girl B began when she was either 11 or 12 and had yet to reach puberty. On that first occasion, the prosecution said, Hall raped her against a wall in a stable. "He flattered her and told her she was special and that he loved her," said Wright. |
| At the age of 14 or 15 Girl B visited Hall at the BBC studios. She also accompanied him to football matches he was attending as a broadcaster. He was so successful at grooming her that she was "compliant with his demands and by now even felt flattered by his attentions", said Wright. | At the age of 14 or 15 Girl B visited Hall at the BBC studios. She also accompanied him to football matches he was attending as a broadcaster. He was so successful at grooming her that she was "compliant with his demands and by now even felt flattered by his attentions", said Wright. |
| The prosecution alleges that Hall would rape the young girl in his dressing room and that on one occasion he took a cutting of her pubic hair and placed it behind a picture. | The prosecution alleges that Hall would rape the young girl in his dressing room and that on one occasion he took a cutting of her pubic hair and placed it behind a picture. |
| "Such trophies speak volumes as to the nature of the relationship that existed between them," said Wright. | "Such trophies speak volumes as to the nature of the relationship that existed between them," said Wright. |
| He added that prior to attending football matches Hall would take her to a block of flats and give her alcohol before raping her. | He added that prior to attending football matches Hall would take her to a block of flats and give her alcohol before raping her. |
| "On occasion he would pour champagne on to her naked body and flatter her. He treated her as his plaything." | |
| He allegedly once raped her at his home while his wife was out. | He allegedly once raped her at his home while his wife was out. |
| Girl B eventually came forward when the previous proceedings were concluded last year. | Girl B eventually came forward when the previous proceedings were concluded last year. |
| Hall's barrister, Crispin Aylett QC, took the unusual step of addressing the jury immediately after the prosecution opening. | Hall's barrister, Crispin Aylett QC, took the unusual step of addressing the jury immediately after the prosecution opening. |
| He said: "None of this should have happened. The girls were teenagers. The defendant was in his 40s and he has no one to blame but himself. | |
| "But in what circumstances might a middle-aged man have a sexual relationship with a girl without it being rape? Is there something between the red light of rape and the green light of consent?" | "But in what circumstances might a middle-aged man have a sexual relationship with a girl without it being rape? Is there something between the red light of rape and the green light of consent?" |
| He suggested that there was – a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16. | He suggested that there was – a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16. |
| When legislators framed the old rape laws in 1956 they envisaged a situation, "repugnant though it might seem, where someone as young as 13 could consent to sex". | When legislators framed the old rape laws in 1956 they envisaged a situation, "repugnant though it might seem, where someone as young as 13 could consent to sex". |
| That law was in force until 2003, and it also had a restriction which required complainants to come forward within 12 months. | That law was in force until 2003, and it also had a restriction which required complainants to come forward within 12 months. |
| Aylett told the jury: "You have to decide whether the complainants did or might have consented to sexual intercourse with Stuart Hall, and even if they didn't, whether the defendant might reasonably have thought they were consenting. | Aylett told the jury: "You have to decide whether the complainants did or might have consented to sexual intercourse with Stuart Hall, and even if they didn't, whether the defendant might reasonably have thought they were consenting. |
| "In that case, he would not be guilty of rape." | "In that case, he would not be guilty of rape." |
| He added: "Whatever his shortcomings, whatever he's done, the defendant says by his pleas of not guilty: 'I'm not a rapist.' | He added: "Whatever his shortcomings, whatever he's done, the defendant says by his pleas of not guilty: 'I'm not a rapist.' |
| "And that, in due course, is the issue you will have to decide." | "And that, in due course, is the issue you will have to decide." |
| Aylett said younger generations of sports fans had known Hall as "a rather flamboyant and eccentric football commentator". | Aylett said younger generations of sports fans had known Hall as "a rather flamboyant and eccentric football commentator". |
| He added: "To everyone now, Stuart Hall is simply a convicted paedophile who at the end of each court day goes back to his prison cell." | He added: "To everyone now, Stuart Hall is simply a convicted paedophile who at the end of each court day goes back to his prison cell." |
| Girl A, now a mother of three in her 50s, recalled the broadcaster paying her compliments as a young girl. | |
| "He would make comments like: 'Oh, you're growing up now,' 'You're an attractive girl,' 'That dress looks really nice on you.'" | |
| She said she found him "touchy feely" and "larger than life". "He would ask how I was going on, if I had boyfriends, what I was up to. My mother told me I had to be nice to him and do as I was told." | She said she found him "touchy feely" and "larger than life". "He would ask how I was going on, if I had boyfriends, what I was up to. My mother told me I had to be nice to him and do as I was told." |
| He would call at her home "with what he regarded as the essentials in life – champagne, strawberries, caviar". | He would call at her home "with what he regarded as the essentials in life – champagne, strawberries, caviar". |
| These would be given to her mother, she added. | These would be given to her mother, she added. |
| Hall, the former presenter of It's a Knockout, is charged with seven counts of rape against one complainant between 1976 and 1978. Five of the rapes are alleged to have taken place when she was under 16. | |
| He is also accused of two counts of indecent assault against the same woman within the same period. | He is also accused of two counts of indecent assault against the same woman within the same period. |
| Hall is additionally charged with eight counts of rape and three of indecent assault against a second alleged victim between 1976 and 1981. One of those alleged rapes is said to have taken place at a time the complainant was under 13. | Hall is additionally charged with eight counts of rape and three of indecent assault against a second alleged victim between 1976 and 1981. One of those alleged rapes is said to have taken place at a time the complainant was under 13. |
| Last year Hall was jailed for 15 months in the same courtroom after admitting 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 young women. That sentence was later doubled by the court of appeal. | Last year Hall was jailed for 15 months in the same courtroom after admitting 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 young women. That sentence was later doubled by the court of appeal. |