CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS HAUNTS HEMEL HEMPSTEAD AND HODDESDON WITH REDUCED SENTENCE

In a case that has stirred deep emotional pain and concern within the communities of Hemel Hempstead and Hoddesdon, Christopher Williams, also known by the alias Peter May, has once again become the focus of public outrage following a controversial court decision. Williams, a man with a long history of disturbing offenses against children, was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison at St Albans Crown Court in June of the previous year. This sentence was handed down after he was convicted on six counts of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), a legal measure designed to restrict his ability to approach or observe children.

Williams, aged 42 and residing at Parrots Field in Hoddesdon, has a criminal record that dates back over a decade. His previous convictions include an eight-year prison term handed down in 1998 for charges of child abduction and indecent assault. Notably, he was also jailed in 1991 for abducting four-year-old Simon Jones from Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead. That sentence was initially 11 years but was later reduced to seven, and Williams was released in 1995 after serving part of his term.

In the latest incident, shortly after his release from prison in June 2005, Williams was observed by police following three young boys in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. This act of surveillance was a clear breach of the SOPO, which explicitly prohibited him from conducting any prolonged or sustained observation of children outside his residence. The prosecution further alleged that Williams committed at least five additional breaches, including maneuvering his vehicle to remain near children playing in a car park and sitting on a park bench in Hoddesdon close to a group of five children. On another occasion, he was seen sitting in his car, smoking a cigarette, with his mirror adjusted to keep a clear view of children playing in the street.

These repeated violations prompted a hearing at London's Appeal Court on July 12, where Williams challenged both his 10-year sentence and the six convictions against him. The panel, comprising Lord Justice Dyson, Mr Justice Butterfield, and Judge John Rogers QC, dismissed his appeal regarding the convictions but decided to reduce his prison term by half. The court acknowledged that while Williams' actions were deeply troubling, he had not physically harmed or even touched any of the children he observed. The judges noted that, given his criminal history, a 10-year sentence was initially deemed appropriate to serve as a severe punishment for such a serious sex-related offense.

Lord Justice Dyson expressed concern over the fact that Williams committed these recent spying offenses so soon after the SOPO was imposed. Nonetheless, he concluded that a decade-long imprisonment was excessive for an offense where no physical contact occurred. The court's decision to halve the sentence was based on the assessment that the original term was disproportionate to the nature of the offenses.

Mrs. Sally Jones, the mother of Simon Jones, who was abducted by Williams as a child, voiced her dismay at the court's ruling. She stated, “I just don’t understand it. If he had done the time he should have for taking Simon, then the next family wouldn’t have had to go through what we did.” She expressed her ongoing concern for children's safety, emphasizing that Williams cannot control his impulses and that children remain vulnerable to individuals like him. Mrs. Jones added, “Our children are not safe. Why should another family have to go through what we did?”

Reflecting on her son Simon, now 21 years old, she mentioned that he has never fully spoken about his traumatic experience but has managed to move forward with his life. Her words underscore the ongoing fears and unresolved trauma faced by victims and their families in cases involving repeat offenders like Williams.