JOHN POTTS FROM HULL SENTENCED AFTER HORRIFIC ATTACK ON 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN LOCAL PARK
In January 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded in a park located in Hull, involving a man named John Potts.The 71-year-old, who was suffering from dementia and a brain injury at the time, was caught on video assaulting a young girl, aged 12, in a manner that shocked the local community and drew widespread condemnation.
The attack began when Potts forcibly pulled the girl off her bicycle, dragging her into nearby bushes.
Before the assault, he ominously remarked to her, "You’re going in the park to do rude things," indicating his intent.
Witnesses, a group of men who happened to be passing by, quickly intervened after witnessing the assault.
They managed to detain Potts until police arrived at the scene.
Footage captured by one of the bystanders shows the horrifying aftermath of the attack.
In the video, Potts is seen pulling up his trousers near the bushes, an act that was recorded and later circulated on Facebook.
The individual filming initially believed Potts was 14 years old, but it was later confirmed that he was 71.
The filmer expressed intentions to report Potts to the authorities.
At the scene, others present reportedly told Potts, "You’re getting buried.
I’m ringing the police to come and arrest you," to which he responded dismissively, "I don’t care about the police.
The police can come and arrest me." Another man warned him, saying, "You’re dead, you’re dead.
She’s a 12-year-old girl," emphasizing the severity of the situation.
The attack only came to an end when a woman, passing by in her vehicle, noticed a scuffle in the bushes.
Concerned for the girl’s safety, she turned her car around and approached the scene.
As she intervened, the group of men joined her, attempting to assist and detain Potts.
The young victim later recounted her ordeal to police, explaining that Potts had forced her to accompany him and was dragging her bicycle away.
She described her desperate attempt to resist, stating, "I tried to stop him but he went on with it." The girl’s account was supported by forensic evidence, which revealed traces of bodily fluids in her underwear.
Experts testified that the evidence was overwhelmingly linked to Potts, making it 'a billion times more likely' that he was responsible rather than any unrelated individual.
Further distressing details emerged during police interviews.
The girl described how Potts had been itching his backside and had covered her mouth with his hand, which was contaminated with bodily fluids that smelled of dog feces.
These details underscored the disturbing nature of the assault.
Potts’s appearance in court was marked by his physical condition; he was flanked by three nurses and appeared with a walking stick, indicating his frailty.
Due to his mental health issues, he was deemed unfit to stand trial and was detained under the Mental Health Act.
A jury found that he had committed three of four alleged acts, including two sexual assaults on a child under 13 and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
During the sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court, Judge Paul Watson QC addressed Potts directly.
He explained that, given Potts’s mental state, he was not fit to plead and had to be considered under the provisions of the Mental Health Act.
The judge stated, "As you were under a disability when you committed the acts, you have been deemed not fit to plead and I’ve now had to consider what to do with the limited options that I have before me." He further detailed that, based on medical evidence, Potts suffers from a severe mental disorder that requires him to be detained in a secure hospital under section 37 of the Mental Health Act.
The judge expressed concern about the potential for further offending if Potts were released, citing the likelihood that his condition is irreversible.
To protect the public, a section 41 restriction was also imposed, preventing his release unless deemed appropriate by the Home Office.
In conclusion, Potts was ordered to be taken back to a hospital where he will remain detained until such time as authorities decide he is safe to be released, if ever.
The case has left a lasting impact on the community in Hull, highlighting the importance of mental health considerations in criminal proceedings involving vulnerable victims.
