WILLIAM HILL, FORMER BOYS' BRIGADE LEADER IN LOUGHTON, SENTENCED FOR SERIAL CHILD ABUSE

In April 2006, William Hill, a 71-year-old former Boys' Brigade leader residing at Parsonage Court, Rectory Lane, Loughton, was sentenced to five years in prison for a long history of abusing boys over a span of three decades.

Hill targeted numerous victims, often luring them to Southend for trips where he would give them sweets and chocolates to keep them quiet after sexually assaulting them. Many of these assaults took place while he was driving to the coast. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard testimonies that Hill was allowed to put children as young as seven to bed at their homes, and on one camping trip to Wales, he indecently assaulted a boy while sharing a tent with him. His abuse extended to girls as well, with one girl being among his victims.

Prosecutor Pamela Oon stated that Hill had been abusing children aged between six and 14 from 1969 to 1984 while running the Hainault branch of the Boys' Brigade. He warned victims to remain silent, telling one that his mother would become ill if he told her about the abuse. Victims were taken to Southend to enjoy amusement arcades, with Hill fondling them en route. On one occasion, he stopped his car in an open area and concealed his actions by covering his victim with a blanket.

Allegations regarding Hill’s misconduct surfaced in 1999 when he resigned from the Brigade citing ill health. However, police only interviewed him in October 2004 following a victim finally speaking out nearly 20 years after the abuse. This led to a wave of similar accusations from other former members of the Boys' Brigade.

During his arrest, Hill told police, “It’s nothing untoward.” His defense argued that although the crimes were serious, they did not escalate further and acknowledged that the damage was already done. Judge Timothy King, delivering the sentence last Wednesday, condemned Hill, describing his actions as the behavior of a serial paedophile who targeted young and vulnerable children. The judge emphasized that Hill was fully aware of his misconduct and carried on selfishly, disregarding the feelings of his victims.

The judge also pointed out that the legal proceedings were delayed but welcomed the outcome, saying, “It’s better late than never.” Hill pleaded guilty to 15 charges of indecent assault, with three additional charges remaining on file as he denied them. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and prohibited from being around children under 16 unless accompanied by an adult.

Detective Inspector Mick Thurley from the Woodford child abuse investigation team praised the victims for coming forward and commended Detective Sergeant Davina Rose for her thorough work in the case. He noted, “I think it was a fair sentence given the number of offences against him. The court also had to consider that he pleaded guilty, which spared the victims from giving evidence.”