HUDDERSFIELD PASTOR SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

A Huddersfield pastor who repeatedly sexually abused three girls is back behind bars after another victim came forward.

Peter Hannam, aged 78, has been sentenced to an additional nine months in prison after assaulting a girl under 16 on five occasions between 1981 and 1983. These indecent assaults occurred in Kirklees while he was serving as a pastor at the Huddersfield Elim Pentecostal Church, and he was convicted of this crime at Leeds Crown Court on September 25. Hannam, originally from Barton On Sea in Hampshire, had previously served a jail term for 15 indecent assaults against three girls aged 9 to 15 in East Yorkshire in the late 1970s. In January 2022, he was jailed for two and a half years.

The police, represented by DC Paul Campbell of the Kirklees District Police Child Safeguarding Unit, expressed gratitude to the latest victim for her bravery in coming forward and reporting the abuse after seeing Hannam’s earlier conviction. Campbell emphasized the importance of reporting all sexual offenses, regardless of when they took place, to ensure offenders are held accountable for all their crimes. The article also encourages victims of sexual assault to contact authorities, stating that all reports are taken seriously and investigated by experienced detectives who prioritize the victim’s needs.