BRIAN HOBBS OF BOURNEMOUTH SENTENCED FOR DECADES OF CHILD ABUSE IN BOURNEMOUTH AND CASTLE LANE

In a case that has shocked the community of Bournemouth, a former sweet shop owner named Brian Hobbs has been sentenced to over ten years in prison for a long history of sexual abuse and grooming of young boys spanning more than four decades. The crimes, which took place between 1965 and 2005, involved multiple victims and a pattern of predatory behavior that has left lasting scars.

Brian Hobbs, now aged 74, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual offences. These included acts of buggery, indecency with a child, and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The court heard that one of the victims was abused during the 1970s and 1980s at the very shop Hobbs owned in Castle Lane, Bournemouth, where he and his late partner, John Deighton, operated their business. The other victim was abused solely by Hobbs in the early 2000s, highlighting the disturbing persistence of his offending behavior.

During the proceedings at Bournemouth Crown Court, it was revealed that Hobbs had a troubling criminal history, having previously served prison sentences of one, three, and nine years for offences against boys, including gross indecency, indecent assault, and buggery, committed across the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. This history underscored a pattern of repeated offending over many years.

Judge Peter Crabtree OBE, presiding over the case, sentenced Hobbs to a term of ten years and eight months in prison. In his remarks, the judge described Hobbs as a “predatory abuser of young teenage boys” and expressed his condemnation of the defendant’s actions. “You are 74 years old and you have a quite awful record of sexual offences against teenage boys,” the judge stated.

The court was told that the victims of Hobbs’ abuse have struggled significantly since the incidents, with many experiencing difficulties in forming relationships, suffering from depression, and battling suicidal thoughts as a direct consequence of the abuse they endured.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Crabtree emphasized the devastating impact of such abuse, stating, “Sadly the feelings they experienced are all too common among abused children and young teenagers. There is only one person responsible for what happened. That is you. Brian Hobbs.”

During the hearing, Hobbs’ legal representative, Richard Tutt, offered an apology on behalf of his client, expressing remorse and acknowledging the harm caused. Tutt explained that Hobbs wished to publicly apologize to his victims as a sign of his remorse. He also noted that Hobbs accepted full responsibility for his actions and was “extremely candid and forthcoming” during police interviews.

It was also revealed that Hobbs himself was a victim of abuse in his youth, a factor he did not use as an excuse but rather as an explanation for his own troubled history. Tutt emphasized that Hobbs has not offended for approximately ten years and that the severity of his age and health will influence the impact of his long sentence.

Hobbs had previously entered guilty pleas to three counts of indecency with a child, two counts of buggery, and three counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The court also noted that he was already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and required to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, reflecting the ongoing concern about his potential risk to the public.