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Convicted child sex offender walks free

6:30am Saturday 18th July 2009 in


A CHILDREN’S charity last night described a decision to allow a sex offender to go free as “disturbing”.

Richard Graves, 53, was convicted of sexual activity with a child and causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, after an incident last year.

Judge Julian Hall had warned Graves he faced jail but instead issued a supervision order and told him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register at a hearing on Thursday.

The eight-year-old victim’s grandmother shouted: “Another lenient sentence from Judge Hall!" as she stormed out of the court.

The court heard the sports coach inappropriately touched the boy, who was playing with other children in Graves’ swimming pool.

Graves, of Towersey, Thame, said: “I did not do anything of which I am ashamed or would not have done in front of anyone else. I was simply tickling [the child] which I had done before and he had liked it.”

But evidence from the child, the boy’s father, and other relatives convinced the jury of Graves’ guilt.

Judge Hall said: “I have the unenviable task of deciding where in the scale of sexual offences this falls. Should this man go to prison for an offence at the lower end of that scale? I also have to consider that Mr Graves sufferers from Crohn’s disease. There are difficulties with dealing with that in prison.”

But children’s charity Kidscape director Claude Knights said: “It is difficult to accept that sexual activity with a child under 13 could ever be regarded as at the ‘lower end of the sexual offences scale’.

“Judge Hall is certainly sending out a difficult message both to the young victim’s family and to all those who are concerned with the protection of children from predators.”

Judge Hall disqualified the rugby and cricket coach from working with children for life. He also imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order lasting 10 years.

Comments(15)

Tom Cranmer says...
8:34am Sat 18 Jul 09

Sex offenders must laugh their heads off when they see that Judge Hall is presiding. Surely there must be some way to remove him from the bench. Time after time, these predators walk away.

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William Windsor says...
10:01am Sat 18 Jul 09

It is clear Judge Hall has no grasp of what is right or wrong and should be removed from his position TODAY.

Perhaps it would be an idea for The Oxford Mail to do some 'investigative' journalism (surely someone there remembers what 'journalism' is) having seen the obvious disgust at this man by all who have commented on this board over the months.

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jf says...
10:54am Sat 18 Jul 09

Good Grief-Crohn’s disease that man has? So do I!! However- that is NO excuse whatsoever for disgusting behaviour!

You can't go around doing that to children and then have an excuse for an illness to make it OK!

Judge Hall-should be fired! He is sending the message out-it's OK what you have done- because your not well!

Such injustice for the families involved!

A petition should be set up"SACK JUDGE HALL FOR INCOMPETENCE!!

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cuckoo says...
3:17pm Sat 18 Jul 09

Judge Julian Hall does it again (and again/again/again etc!!!)
Why hasn't this man been dismissed from his position as judge???

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Sophia says...
4:40pm Sat 18 Jul 09

Yet if you read the story above this one you'll see this Judge being slapped down by the Couft of Appeal for passing too long a sentence! Bizarre

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Roger Casement says...
5:03pm Sat 18 Jul 09

"offencer"...?

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burro says...
8:11pm Sat 18 Jul 09

Maybe we should petition our MP or the lord chancellor, (whoever he is now!!) to look in to the suitability of Judges, especially Judge Julian, although I believe they cannot be removed unless they commit a major misdemeanor. he seems to do that every time he tries someone

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Broken Statue says...
5:20am Sun 19 Jul 09

i dont understand he only tickled child no problem every tickle child is for fun and he teach them sport for long time and help them so why you want he to go in prison i not ecpert in judge but if you think he no good why you not get job as judge and then you can send in prison how youlike to go prison for something you did not do think

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Roger Casement says...
7:17am Sun 19 Jul 09

"Broken Statue"? Sounds more like broken English to me. You're not the Lord High Executioner out of the Mikardo by any chance, are you?

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Yellow exile says...
12:07pm Sun 19 Jul 09

Suggest read the reporting on this on Thame.net, includes a statement from victim's family.

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jf says...
1:52pm Sun 19 Jul 09

Yellow exile wrote:
Suggest read the reporting on this on Thame.net, includes a statement from victim's family.
Hi Yellow

Can you say where it is exactly please?

I copied and pasted Thame.net as you suggested-all I got was tourism?

Any suggestions please?

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Noodle999 says...
3:03pm Sun 19 Jul 09

I very much enjoy not being in prison, which is difficult to do whilst in prison...

Does this mean I can commit whatever offence I like and have a Judge take this into account during sentencing?

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Flash971 says...
8:45am Mon 20 Jul 09

Judge Hall must be a sex offenders ultimate hero.

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scotland2 says...
4:24pm Mon 20 Jul 09

What is the matter with Judge Hall, he needs a mental health examination. I'm with you JF I'll be the first to sign your petition, why is no one doing anything about this Judge someone needs to bring this to the High Courts attention.

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PU30 says...
3:10pm Thu 23 Jul 09

http://www.thamenews
.net/readmore.asp?Co
ntent_ID=4565&
The reporting here is far more comprehensive.
What the OM has also failed to highlight is the fact that he lied on oath and later admitted his guilt do doubt to influence the Judge. Which seems to have worked.
He should have been looked up for a long time. Illness would have made prison difficult…good.

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