ANTHONY HALLAM SENTENCED IN GREAT YARMOUTH AND NOTTINGHAM FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG BOYS

In August 2011, a disturbing case unfolded involving Anthony Hallam, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, who was ultimately sentenced to three years in prison for abusing three young boys. The offenses took place in Great Yarmouth, where Hallam resided at the time, and the case revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned decades.

Hallam, who was already registered as a sex offender due to previous convictions, faced serious charges including five counts of indecent assault and one count of a serious sexual offense involving the three boys. The incidents allegedly occurred while he was living in a house on Byron Road, in Great Yarmouth, during the 1980s. Despite his denial of the allegations, the evidence presented in Norwich Crown Court was compelling enough for the jury to reach a guilty verdict.

The case only came to light after one of the alleged victims, inspired by a radio program, decided to come forward and report the abuse. This initial disclosure prompted other victims—his younger brother and a close friend—to also step forward with their own allegations against Hallam. The revelations exposed a disturbing pattern of abuse spanning many years, with Hallam’s history of sexual offenses dating back to 1969 and 1971, and a previous conviction in 2005 for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy, which resulted in a six-year prison sentence.

At the time of his arrest and trial, Hallam was residing in Nottingham. During the proceedings, he maintained his innocence, denying ever having sexually touched any of the boys. However, the jury, after deliberating for approximately 40 minutes, found him guilty on all counts. The court was informed that Hallam’s health was in decline; he had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2009 and had undergone chemotherapy treatments.

Judge Alasdair Darroch, presiding over the case, sentenced Hallam to three years in prison and imposed a lifelong ban on him working with children. In his remarks, the judge described the case as “particularly unpleasant” and expressed regret that if the crimes had been uncovered earlier—specifically at the time of his previous conviction—Hallam would have received a longer sentence. The judge also criticized Hallam for his not guilty pleas, which compelled the victims to testify and relive their trauma. “You should never have put them through that,” Judge Darroch stated, emphasizing the gravity of Hallam’s actions and the impact on the victims.