DAVID HANNAH AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN CHESTERFIELD

A 71-year-old man named David Hannah, who is known locally in Chesterfield as 'Dirty Dave,' faced a serious legal penalty after being convicted of two sexual assault offences. During a court session at Derby Crown Court, the judge did not hold back in condemning Hannah’s behavior, describing his attitude towards consent and personal boundaries as reminiscent of a 'caveman.'

Hannah appeared before the court to answer to two counts of sexual assault, and both his own legal representative and the judging officials made it clear that his perspective on boundaries was severely outdated and inappropriate. His barrister commented that Hannah’s views were akin to those of a dinosaur, emphasizing how disconnected he was from current societal norms about consent and personal conduct.

In delivering the sentence, Recorder Adrian Reynolds handed down a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, meaning Hannah would not serve time immediately, provided he met certain conditions. The judge warned that if he committed similar offences within the next two years, he would face immediate imprisonment. He emphasized that Hannah, despite his age, still bore responsibility for his actions, highlighting a particularly troubling comment made to the victim — that if she disclosed what had happened, she would suffer deadly consequences because he knew his actions had been wrong.

The offences in question reportedly occurred in 2019, though the victim only reported them in the summer of 2021. Prosecutor Mark Achurch detailed the two separate incidents.

The first incident involved Hannah visiting the victim’s residence, where he made offensive remarks and physically assaulted her. Achurch recounted that Hannah said to her in her kitchen, 'you need [expletive] by a real man,' before kissing and licking her face. The situation escalated as Hannah tried to undress her and removed his own trousers, attempting to engage physically by exposing himself and trying to place his private parts in her hand. The victim managed to stop him by kicking him in the groin, and before leaving, he warned her not to tell anyone, saying she would be dead if she did.

The second incident occurred outside, where Hannah approached the woman from behind and inappropriately touched her, grabbing her breast and private parts. Witnesses later identified Hannah as 'Dirty Dave,' a nickname that reportedly reflects how he’s known locally. When arrested, he displayed a shocking lack of understanding about the severity of his actions, asking police, 'are you supposed to ask permission these days?' and making comments suggesting he believed social norms about masculinity and sexual conduct were different — notably stating, 'if you don’t try it on with someone, they’ll think you’re gay.'

Hannah, residing on Gorman Close in Newbold, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to both sexual assault charges. He has no previous criminal record. The victim, whose name is protected by law, submitted a victim impact statement that revealed her suffering following the assaults. She expressed feelings of low self-esteem afterward, intentionally neglecting her appearance in an attempt to feel unattractive. Her pain was compounded by her own admission that, if faced with the defendant again and armed with a knife, she would even consider using it.

His legal counsel, Will Bennett, acknowledged that Hannah’s outdated views were inexcusable and emphasized that his attitudes do not justify his misconduct. As part of his sentencing requirements, Recorder Reynolds ordered Hannah to participate in 45 rehabilitation sessions and mandated that he be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years, underscoring the serious nature of his crimes and their impact on the victim.