THOMAS HOARE'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN HAWICK AND BEYOND: SEX OFFENDER'S REIGN OF TERROR AND BREACHES

In June 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Thomas Hoare, a known sex offender from Hawick, who found himself back in the spotlight after breaching multiple court orders and engaging in unlawful activities. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and managing individuals with a history of sexual offenses.

Hoare, aged 51 and formerly residing on Princes Street in Hawick, was sentenced to 350 days in jail at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for violating a sexual offences prevention order. This sentence was backdated to November 11, the date he was initially remanded in custody, making him eligible for immediate release. The breach involved being in the company of a three-year-old boy, despite strict conditions prohibiting contact with children under 16. Authorities confirmed that Hoare was observed by police on January 3, 2017, in the company of a woman, a friend of his then-partner, and her young son. Witnesses saw Hoare pushing the child's pedal cycle and entering a newsagent’s shop with the boy while the child's mother waited outside. Further investigations revealed that Hoare had also played Scaletrix with the child, raising serious concerns about his compliance with court orders.

In addition to the breach, Hoare was found to have possessed a passport without informing his supervising officer between May and September 2017. He traveled to the Republic of Ireland and Spain during this period without permission, violating bail conditions. He also failed to report to Hawick police station in June 2017, despite being legally required to do so. These actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the restrictions imposed on him as a registered sex offender.

Hoare’s criminal history is extensive and deeply troubling. In 2000, he was sentenced to ten years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court after raping a 10-year-old girl at a house in South Shields, South Tyneside. The assault occurred on New Year’s Day 2000, when Hoare overpowered the young girl and fled the scene in his car. He was apprehended six hours later at a motorway service station, where police found him asleep in the back seat, mistaking him for a drink driver. Hoare claimed amnesia regarding the incident, but forensic evidence strongly implicated him. His remorse was evident when he confessed to a separate armed robbery in North Yorkshire in 1987, which he committed out of disgust for his own actions. The court heard that Hoare was so revolted by his rape of the girl that he sought to ensure a longer incarceration by confessing to the robbery, which he committed at a restaurant, armed with a knife.

Initially, Hoare was sentenced to six years for the rape and an additional four years for the robbery, to run consecutively. His criminal record also includes a conviction for the rape of a 10-year-old girl, which led to his placement on the sex offenders’ register for life. However, Hoare had claimed that a deal was struck with prosecutors during his 2000 sentencing, suggesting he would not be subject to the notification requirements of the 2003 Sexual Offences Act, allowing him to reintegrate into society more easily. This claim was challenged in court when procurator fiscal Graham Fraser presented documentary evidence indicating that Hoare, then known as Thomas Todd, was indeed registered for life as a sex offender. Sheriff Peter Paterson dismissed Hoare’s assertion, emphasizing that notification requirements are mandatory for offenses such as rape.

Following the court’s ruling, Hoare pleaded guilty to four breaches of his sexual offences prevention order, including being in contact with a minor and traveling abroad without permission. His defense lawyer, Richard Souter, stated that Hoare was no longer in a relationship with the woman involved and was seeking to move to England. Despite his efforts to re-establish his life, his criminal past and recent breaches have led to his incarceration. The case underscores the persistent difficulties in supervising and rehabilitating sex offenders, especially those with extensive and violent histories.