STANLEY HILL OF LEIGH SENTENCED FOR LIFE AFTER CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ATTEMPTED MURDER

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Leigh community, Stanley Hill, a 46-year-old man from Kensington Drive, was handed a life sentence following his conviction on multiple serious charges. The proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court revealed a disturbing history of sexual offenses spanning over three decades, involving three young girls, as well as a violent attempt to murder his former partner.

Hill was found guilty of a series of heinous crimes, including rape, indecent assault, and gross indecency. The court heard that he had assaulted one girl when she was just 15 years old, raping her and committing two separate charges of indecent assault. Additionally, he was convicted of two counts of indecently assaulting a second victim and one of gross indecency committed when she was between 12 and 16 years old. A third girl, aged between 13 and 15 at the time, was also subjected to three charges of indecent assault by Hill.

Prior to these convictions, Hill had already been convicted in a separate trial at the same court in March for attempted murder and two counts of witness intimidation. The jury in the recent case was informed that two of Hill’s victims had attempted to take their own lives, with one of them jumping from a bridge just a week before the trial commenced, highlighting the profound impact of his actions.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the case was Hill’s violent attack on his former partner, Wendy Crooks. Judge Roberts described this assault as “a planned, premeditated attack with a knife at night in a public street on a woman against whom you had a grudge.” The incident occurred on the evening of December 29, 2005, when Crooks was walking with a friend on the Higher Fold estate in Leigh. As they approached a bus stop on Coronation Drive, Hill, dressed entirely in black, appeared and rugby tackled Crooks to the ground. He then repeatedly stabbed her in the upper body with a knife, causing her to scream for help. Hill managed to flee the scene immediately afterward.

Det Insp Steve Crimmins of Wigan CID commented on the case, stating, “Hill is a violent and manipulative individual. Society is a safer place now that he is behind bars. This is largely due to the courage shown by the victims in this case who have given evidence to the court despite years of abuse and intimidation.”

As a result of his convictions, Hill has been sentenced to an indeterminate life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years before he can be considered for parole. Furthermore, he has been permanently disqualified from working with children, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the threat he poses to society.