Shocking news

[Mo2013]

Veteran BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has been charged with rape and 14 counts of indecent assault for a string of alleged historic sex attacks, Lancashire Police have said. Hall, of Prestbury Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, was arrested on Tuesday morning after he attended an appointment at a police station. The 83-year-old is charged with one count of rape allegedly committed in 1976 against a 22-year-old woman and 14 offences of indecent assault against 10 girls aged between nine and 16 which allegedly took place between 1967 and 1986. He has been bailed to appear before Preston Magistrates' Court on February 7.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said: "Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service an 83-year-old man has this evening been charged with one offence of rape and 14 offences of indecent assault. "Stuart Hall, of Prestbury Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, was arrested this morning after attending a police station in the county by appointment. He has been bailed to appear before magistrates in Preston on February 7 2013."

Hall has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century and was this year awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours. His eccentric and erudite football match summaries have made him a cult figure on BBC Radio 5 Live


Just shows you just cannot presume to really know a person's character at all.

[Kendhni]

I was just reading that story on the Sky website.

When the Savile case came to light I did say that this was going to run deep, very deep with an awful lot of big household names coming to the fore ... we have barely scratched the surface of that. I am waiting for the first celeb to 'break ranks' and 'tell all'.

[Mo2013]

It's horrible. Let's hope no-one has a book published and makes money out of it, or worse still a film like they have done with other things in life.

[Serendipity]

It is all very upsetting when people you thought were decent are accused of such horrid things.
I cannot help wondering why these people waited all these years to break their silence, I guess money could come into it.
I am not making excuses for the accused just wondering.

[Manoverboard]

I don't know him at all but I do know his house ... how will they be able to prove such charges ?

[Dark Knight]

I will await the verdict of a judge and a jury

[Gill W]

I will await the verdict of a judge and a jury

At least he's still alive so there can be a trial.

[Dancing Queen]

I will await the verdict of a judge and a jury

Me too DK, I'm not into " lets hang, draw and quarter " them, I prefer to let the British justice system do it's job rather than speculate.

[Kendhni]

I will await the verdict of a judge and a jury

True .. we have to remember he is innocent until found guilty within a court

[cornmillgirl]

I just wonder how, after all this time, it can be proved though, will have to wait and see how the justice system handles it.

[Kendhni]

CMG, I think that any proof will be based on one persons word against another and the probability of who is telling the truth

[cornmillgirl]

Kendhni

Do you think they would use a lie detector in a case like this? I thought they were supposed to be quite accurate
but not sure if they would use in a case like this.

[Manoverboard]

Hi cmg.

Seems unlikely, the Daily Mail seems a better possibility

[Lulucat]

Moby

I don't think a lie detector would be much use on an 83 year old - who I would very much doubt can remember where he was or what he was doing in 1976 (and some were earlier?).

[Mo2013]

I must be hitting the wrong key, if anyone finds a reply to this elsewhere, I'm sorry !

There was a woman interviewed on tv earlier this week who'd been abused from the age of six by her stepfather. Many years later she reported it and he was sent to trial and convicted. There is no time limit on reporting sexual abuse and I imagine that there must be such evidence that bears out the victim's testimony.

[Wobgoescruising]

He's a small name compared to others in the pipeline sadly, one in particular I've found very upsetting - if it's true and if he's charged. I know he was questioned and his house searched but he was released without charged. He seems though to have spent Christmas and New Year in the Priory due to the distress.

[Wobgoescruising]

Don't forget, this case against Stuart Hall is nothing to do with 'operation yewtree' and the Savile and 'others' investigation. It cold be that he police were intending to charge him ages ago and the timing a coincidence.