RICHARD HILL FROM ABERGAVENNY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF AUTISTIC TEEN GIRL IN HEREFORDSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the local community, Richard Hill, a 65-year-old former teacher from Abergavenny, was sentenced to prison after admitting to sexually abusing a teenage girl with autism. The incidents occurred in Herefordshire during the summer of 2013, when Hill was 60 years old, and the case has drawn significant attention due to the nature of the offenses and the vulnerability of the victim.

Hill, who resided on Blorenge Road in Abergavenny, had previously established a relationship of trust with the girl and her family. According to court proceedings, he exploited this trust to carry out two separate acts of sexual misconduct. The first incident took place in a car park in Herefordshire around 6:30 pm, where Hill took the girl in his vehicle. During this encounter, he attempted to kiss her and forcibly put his tongue into her mouth. The victim, who was described as scared and confused, was unable to fully comprehend or resist the assault. Prosecutor Giles Nelson highlighted the severity of the situation, emphasizing that the girl was an extremely vulnerable individual, and noted the disturbing fact that Hill behaved as if nothing had happened when seen by her mother shortly afterward.

Further details revealed that in September of the same year, Hill took the girl out in his car once again and drove into the countryside. During this outing, they sat on a bench where Hill pulled her onto his lap, kissed her neck, and touched her over her clothing. It was only years later that the victim confided in someone she trusted about the abuse she had endured, revealing the full extent of Hill’s misconduct.

Hill retired from his teaching career in 2014, but the court heard that during a pre-sentence report, he appeared to deny the allegations. Judge Jim Tindal expressed his disapproval of Hill’s attitude, stating, “What does surprise me is that someone of this man’s intelligence is trying to weasel his way out of it with the probation service. It dissipates any source of remorse in his plea.” The judge condemned Hill for abusing the trust placed in him and for targeting a particularly vulnerable child, especially considering her disability and the grooming behavior involved.

In sentencing, Judge Tindal ordered Hill to serve 12 months in prison. Additionally, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a minimum of five years. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of the offenses and the need to protect vulnerable individuals from such predatory behavior.