Description
“It’s not an overstatement to say you’ve ruined the childhood of each of these vulnerable young people,” a Sheffield judge told a ‘depraved’ sexual predator who abused three 12-year-old girls over a period of more than 30 years.
The judge, Recorder Richard Wright KC, made the comments to paedophile, David Hodson, after being read the ‘moving’ personal statements of girls he subjected to sickening sexual abuse, and then tried to silence.
Sheffield Crown Court was told how Hodson, after abusing the young girls, warned them not to tell anyone, claiming to one of the complainants that it ‘wouldn’t matter’ if she came forward because ‘no-one would believe her’.
But after the courageous complainants found the strength to report his offending, Hodson, aged 72, was charged with, and subsequently pleaded guilty to, multiple sex offences.
As he sat in the dock during a hearing held on September 11, 2023, Hodson was also forced to hear, through their statements, the details of the prolonged and devastating trauma his victims are still forced to live with, after subjecting them to what Recorder Wright described as ‘depraved sexual attentions’.
After finally being given a voice, one of the complainants described how in the years following Hodson’s abuse, it continued to have a pervasive impact on her life, manifesting in the form of suicide attempts, self-harm, anxiety and nightmares, self-medicating; and had also resulted in her not sitting her GCSEs, after her doctor signed her off from school.
“I’m determined to not let what he did ruin any more of my life,” she said.
Another of the complainants described how she is working hard to move on with her life, and knows she needs counselling, but said she ‘still finds it so hard to talk about what happened’.
A third complainant described the damage caused by Hodson as being ‘irreparable,’ and said many of the issues stemming from his abuse have permeated into her adult life, leaving her with post-traumatic stress disorder and body issues.
Hodson, care of Rotherham General Hospital, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to offences of indecency with a child; three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and attempting to cause/ incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.
Hodson had tried to claim through his barrister, Helen Chapman, that he felt ‘genuine remorse for the way he conducted himself with these three victims’ and had demonstrated that through his guilty pleas.
But after reading Hodson’s pre-sentence report, in which he had the audacity to 'victim-blame' by describing one of the young girls he abused as ‘promiscuous,’ Recorder Wright said it was clear the only ‘real remorse’ he feels is ‘towards himself’.
Recorder Wright told Hodson: “I reject that your guilty pleas have anything to do with any real remorse felt by you.”
He added: “It’s not an overstatement to say you’ve ruined the childhood of each of these vulnerable young people.”
Ms Chapman continued by saying Hodson would say he is ‘deeply sorry’ and not just for himself, but to the children he abused, as well as for the ongoing consequences of his actions.
She said Hodson had made an attempt on his life in the months since proceedings against him were launched; and also had a list of ‘physical health conditions,’ the nature of which was not disclosed in open court, to contend with.
“He knows that to order to really rehabilitate he will have to engage in proper, constructive work in a custodial setting,” Ms Chapman told the court.
Recorder Wright jailed Hodson for seven years, six months and made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, and sex offender notification requirements, which will be in place for the remainder of the pensioner’s life.
Hodson was told he must serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence, before he can be considered for release from prison.