BRISTOL PENSIONER AUSTIN HADADD SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEX ABUSE IN BRISTOL
In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Bristol, a retired man named Austin Haddad has been sentenced to serve a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse spanning over a decade.The 75-year-old, who once worked for British Rail and later in a rail agency, was convicted of heinous crimes committed against two young girls during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Haddad, a resident of the St Paul’s area in Bristol, was accused of abusing one girl starting when she was just five years old.
The abuse reportedly took place at his home, where he subjected her to repeated acts of molestation and groping.
The trauma inflicted on this young victim left her emotionally scarred, with her suffering from depression and contemplating suicide as a result of her experiences.
She recounted her pain in a heartfelt impact statement, revealing that she had felt isolated, sad, and angry for many years.
She also disclosed that she had attempted to take her own life once and expressed shame for not speaking out sooner about her abuse.
The court heard that Haddad’s first victim was 12 years old when he began abusing her.
Between 1981 and 1985, he repeatedly groped and assaulted her, often while she was lying on his bed.
The girl, overwhelmed by fear, kept silent for years, turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
Her statement to the court detailed her ongoing emotional struggles, including feelings of loneliness and depression, and her regret for not reporting the abuse earlier.
Her suffering was compounded by her shame and the long-lasting impact of the trauma she endured.
In 1987, Haddad’s predatory behavior shifted to a second girl, who was only five years old at the time.
He engaged in similar acts of molestation and groping, continuing his pattern of abuse against a second innocent victim.
The court was told that Haddad’s offending was separate and distinct, occurring at different times and against different girls, which contributed to the severity of his sentencing.
During the sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey, Judge Wendy Joseph QC described Haddad’s conduct as utterly reprehensible.
She stated that Haddad had shown “not one iota of remorse” for his actions and emphasized that he should never be left alone with a young girl again.
The judge sentenced Haddad to a total of nearly 150 years in prison, but due to his age and the nature of the crimes, she ordered that he serve 18 years behind bars.
The sentences for the various charges—comprising four counts of rape, 14 counts of indecent assault, and one count of indecency with a child—were ordered to run concurrently.
Judge Joseph expressed her personal view that Haddad should not be trusted to be alone with any female child, highlighting the gravity of his offenses.
She acknowledged his age, describing him as a “sprightly 75-year-old,” and explained that her decision to reduce the overall time was influenced by his advanced years.
Nonetheless, she made it clear that the crimes were serious enough to warrant lengthy imprisonment, and she rejected any suggestion that the sentences should be served consecutively, as that would result in an excessively high total.
Haddad, who was arrested in December 2013 after frequent visits back to the UK from Jamaica, where he had retired in 2007 following successful treatment for bowel cancer, was described in court as a man who had led a seemingly normal life post-retirement.
His defense argued that he had spent four decades working in the railway industry, mainly with British Rail, and had a ten-year stint with a rail agency from 1992 to 2002.
Despite his health issues and retirement, his criminal actions have left a lasting scar on his victims and the community of Bristol, where the case has brought to light the devastating impact of child abuse.
