MICHAEL HART OF WEST BELFAST SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG GIRLS HE BABYSAT

In a case that has shocked the community of West Belfast, Michael Hart has been sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to the sexual abuse of three young siblings he was entrusted to care for as their babysitter. The offences, which spanned from April 1979 to April 1982, involved heinous acts committed against children aged between five and twelve years old.

Hart, a resident of Black Mountain Walk in West Belfast, appeared before Belfast Crown Court where it was revealed that he was between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time he was responsible for the children’s supervision. The court heard harrowing details from the prosecution, including a testimony from one of the victims, a girl who recounted how Hart, now aged 58, forced her to play a game of hide and seek. During this game, she hid inside a cupboard, only to be sexually assaulted by Hart when he entered the space. On another disturbing occasion, Hart entered her bed and raped her, leaving lasting trauma.

When she eventually confided in her mother about these serious sexual assaults, her mother did not believe her, which led to her being sent to England to live with her father. Her sister also provided police with a statement, revealing that Hart had entered her single bed and committed a sexual offence against her as well as physically assaulting her. The siblings’ older brother recounted an incident where Hart threw a knife at him, which pierced his foot, and also threatened to stab him, adding to the pattern of violence and intimidation.

Further details disclosed in court indicated that Hart is currently serving a ten-year sentence for the rape of a woman he picked up outside a nightclub in Belfast city centre while working as a taxi driver. The court also learned that Hart’s father, Archibald Hart, had a history of indecent assaults and was previously jailed for six months.

The Probation Service assessed Michael Hart as having a medium risk of reoffending but concluded that he did not pose an immediate danger to the public. The court was informed that all three siblings had submitted heartfelt victim impact statements, describing their ongoing pain and suffering, which they characterized as a “life sentence of pain and anguish.”

Judge Paul Ramsey KC acknowledged the victims’ courage in speaking out and noted that Hart’s guilty pleas spared them the ordeal of testifying at trial. Due to the fact that Hart was under 18 when the offences occurred, the law mandated that he be sentenced as a juvenile. Consequently, he was given a 24-month global sentence, which will run concurrently. Additionally, Hart was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and was placed under a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order to monitor his conduct and prevent further offenses.