British broadcaster Stuart Hall arrives at Preston Magistrates Court in north west England, on January 7, 2013, to face charges of the alleged indecent assault of three girls aged between nine and sixteen on various dates between the years 1974 and 1984. Hall denies the allegations. AFP/Paul Ellis
LONDON 鈥� Veteran British television and radio presenter Stuart Hall was jailed for 15 months on Monday after admitting to 14 charges of indecently assaulting girls as young as nine.
Prosecutors said the 83-year-old, who presented the hit BBC television show 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Knockout鈥� in the 1970s and 1980s, was an 鈥渙pportunistic predator鈥� who befriended his victims before assaulting them.
The abuse surfaced following a police investigation into revelations about late BBC presenter Jimmy Savile, now believed to be one of Britain鈥檚 worst-ever sex offenders.
Judge Anthony Russell said during sentencing that the broadcaster was known for his 鈥済enial personality.鈥�
He said: 鈥淭he general public now know that there is a darker side to you, one hidden from the public view until now 鈥� and a side which you were able to conceal, taking advantage of your status as a well-liked celebrity.
鈥淪everal of these cases reveal an abuse of power by you because your status gave you an influence and standing which you abused.鈥�
Many of Hall鈥檚 victims were sitting behind him in the public gallery.
The judge noted that 鈥渘early every victim was a child鈥� at the time.
鈥淭he repeated sexual abuse of young children, too young to consent and in no position to resist your advances, even if the individual acts are relatively mild, is a serious crime,鈥� he said.
Known for his florid descriptive style, scattered with allusions to literary classics, Hall was in recent years a familiar voice on BBC radio commentating on English Premier League football.
He has not worked for the corporation since the allegations emerged.
The assaults, involving 13 victims, took place between 1967 and 1985, when he regularly appeared on television in Britain.
Hall pleaded guilty in April. A charge of rape that he denies has been allowed to stay on the file after the alleged victim said she did not want to go through a trial.
Hall鈥檚 lawyer Crispin Aylett said he had been arrested 鈥渁s a consequence鈥� of the Savile investigations but his crimes were nowhere near that scale.
鈥淚n the dock today is a frightened and bewildered 83-year-old man answering for the touching 鈥� no more, no less 鈥� of all of 13, 鈥� not 1,300 鈥� victims over a quarter of a century ago,鈥� he said.
The BBC has asked a former High Court judge to investigate Hall鈥檚 behavior while he worked for them, to be published as part of a review into Savile鈥檚 actions when employed by the corporation.
鈥淭he BBC is appalled that some of Stuart Hall鈥檚 crimes took place in connection with his work at the BBC and offer an unreserved apology to the people he abused,鈥� the broadcaster said in a statement.