WILLIAM LYON: HORRIFIC HULL SERIAL SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR CHILD RAPE AND ATTACKS
In a chilling case that has sent shockwaves through the city of Hull, William Lyon, a 33-year-old known by the alias Billy Sartain, has been handed a life sentence after being convicted of multiple heinous sexual offenses, including the rape of a nine-year-old girl.The crimes span over a decade and reveal a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that has left a trail of trauma and devastation.
It was in 1999 when Lyon first committed his most notorious offense.
While in east Hull, he was encountered by a young girl who had stopped to assist him with a punctured bicycle tire.
Seizing the opportunity, Lyon assaulted her sexually, raping her and then giving her a mere £5 as a bribe to keep silent.
He explicitly told her not to tell anyone about what had happened, a plea that underscores the manipulative and predatory nature of his actions.
The victim, now aged 20, remains unnamed for legal reasons but has spoken out about her ordeal, describing Lyon as an “animal” and a “predator” who has targeted innocent children.
Following this initial attack, Lyon’s criminal activities escalated.
In the subsequent year, he committed a terrifying assault on a woman in Coltman Street, west Hull, where he held a knife to her throat before raping her.
That same year, he also indecently assaulted a 14-year-old girl on a bus within the city.
These violent and sexually motivated crimes led to Lyon’s imprisonment in 2001, when he was sentenced to nine years at Sheffield Crown Court for the two attacks.
Despite this, Lyon was released from prison in May of the previous year, raising concerns about the potential danger he posed to the community.
The case took a significant turn when the woman he raped as a child, after hearing of his release, decided to come forward and report her assault to the police.
Her mother expressed pride in her daughter’s bravery, stating, “I’m so proud my daughter had the courage to come forward and was brave enough to come to court.
She said she wanted to save other little girls from him.
The judge has done us proud.
He has saved other little girls from being harmed by him.” During the trial at Hull Crown Court, Lyon initially pleaded guilty to the charge of rape.
However, at the last moment, he attempted to change his plea, claiming that his victim was motivated by financial gain.
The court rejected this attempt after evidence emerged that Lyon had confessed his crimes to a fellow inmate while in prison.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC delivered a stern judgment, emphasizing the dangerousness of Lyon’s character.
He stated, “You raped that young girl in outrageous circumstances.
You are a very dangerous individual.
I have very little doubt you will commit other very serious sexual crimes if you are ever released.
I cannot envisage when it would ever be safe to release you.” Judge Richardson further explained that Lyon’s personality was grossly abnormal and that he would remain a significant threat to women indefinitely if allowed back into society.
Although Lyon will be eligible to apply for parole after five years, he will not be released until the Parole Board is convinced he no longer poses a risk to the public.
Lyon’s criminal history dates back to when he was just 16 years old, during which he committed three indecent assaults in Hull.
Detective Constable Gemma Rule of Humberside Police’s public protection team highlighted the bravery of the victims, especially the woman who reported her assault after Lyon’s release.
She said, “The victim has shown great bravery in coming forward.
When she realised he had been released, she came forward because she didn’t want anyone else to be hurt.” As Lyon faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars, the community of Hull can find some solace in the fact that justice has been served for his numerous victims, and measures are in place to prevent him from harming others in the future.
