Callum Hall 21

Description

A Northumberland man has been jailed for carrying out sexual offences against two underage girls and possessing child sexual abuse images.

Callum Hall chatted to one underage girl on social media and "pressured" her into sending him naked pictures of herself. He then coerced the girl into having sex with him and made comments saying he would show people her pictures if she didn't comply.

Hall committed offences against a second underage girl as well, and led her into woods before gripping her neck and asking her to perform a sexual act on him. The 21-year-old was also found to be in possession of indecent images of children and extreme pornography - some images he had depicted babies being abused.

On Friday, Hall, of Newlyn Drive, Cramlington, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of making indecent images, three counts of sexual activity with a child, and breach of a sexual risk order. The offences were committed when Hall was under the age of 18, but was significantly older than the victims.

The court heard that Hall met one of the girls on Snapchat, and "pressured" her to send him naked pictures and videos of herself - which she did. Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was pressuring her to send pictures of herself. She complied for him [and sent pictures] on a live Snapchat feed."

What the girl didn't know, was that Hall had used software to save the pictures and videos and then told her to meet him for sex, otherwise he would "show people". The court was told that the girl then met Hall on three occasions and they had sex.

During separate offending, Hall struck up a conversation with a second girl and "encouraged her to walk into the woods". Mr Gatland said: "He put his hands around her neck."

Mr Gatland said that while in the woods, the girl fell over and cut her hand, with some of her blood staining Hall's shirt. He then asked the girl to carry out a sexual act on him as "compensation" - which ultimately did not happen.

The court was told that between 2017 and 2022, Hall was also in possession of indecent images of children. He had 67 category A images, which included babies being sexually abused. He also had 78 category B, and 63 category C images. He had also used "key words" to search online for child sexual abuse images and also had extreme pornography in his collection.

At one stage, Hall was made subject of a sexual risk order - which involved certain prohibitions. But he breached that order when he struck up a conversation with a teenage girl on Snapchat in 2022. His breach came to light when the girl's mother saw his messages and reported it.

Shaun Routledge, defending, said Hall demonstrates a level of immaturity and "didn't have much of a start in life". He said: "He has difficulties that seem to be [related to] ADHD and autism. He has high levels of anxiety and poor decision making."

Mr Routledge said that despite the age gap between Hall and his victims, he was "operating nearer their age than his actual age" and lives in an "isolated world". He added Hall was "extremely remorseful" and that a pre-sentence report advised he would be "extremely vulnerable" in a prison environment.

Sentencing Hall, Recorder Mark McKone KC said his sexual offending was "persistent" and jailed him for 26 months. He was made subject of a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offender register for 10 years.