OAP child sex abuser refuses to accept his guilt, court hears

A FORMER postman who has been convicted of sexually abusing three young schoolgirls has shown no remorse for his actions, a court heard yesterday.

Antrim Crown Court heard that 68-year-old Daniel James Hill maintains he has done nothing wrong despite a jury convicting him of multiple counts of indecent assault.

Hill, from Clare Road in Ballycastle, was due to be sentenced yesterday, but Judge Brian Sherrard adjourned the case for five weeks as the pensioner is due to have a prostate biopsy later this month.

During his month-long trial the jury that convicted Hill heard how the three victims would often come to his house to play with his daughter. The house is where they were sexually abused from around the age of five until they were around 10.

Laying out the facts of the case yesterday, prosecuting lawyer Tessa Kitson reminded the court how the first victim had testified that Hill had touched her breasts under her clothing “approximately 20 times”.

The paedophile was convicted of three counts of indecent assault against this victim and the lawyer said Hill also touched her between her legs “over her clothing”.

Another victim gave testimony that Hill had put his hands down the back of her pyjama bottoms, something that happened on more than one occasion. The third victim, said Mrs Kitson, described how Hill had groped her around the area of her chest “on a number of occasions”.

The jury also heard evidence that in 2001 the girls’ teacher intercepted a note being passed around that said: “I hate Danny Hill; I hate him too; I hate the way he puts his hand down your pants.”

The note was given to Eamon Magee, headmaster of St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s Primary School, but he did not show the contents to the parents of the victims, the court heard. Mrs Kitson said one victim only realised her father had not seen the note once the trial was up and running.

“As a child of 10, right until this trial started, she had always believed that her father had been shown the note and decided to do nothing about it but brush it under the carpet,” said Mrs Kitson.

“This was in 2001, not the 40s or 50s or a Magdalene Laundry setting — any delay in this case lies fairly and squarely at the feet of Mr Magee... and that is something that Mr Magee should reflect on and address his mind to.”

Mrs Kitson said that there were numerous aggravating features in Hill’s case, submitting that as a “series of offences”, there should be “serious consideration” given to imposing consecutive sentences.

With “no degree of remorse” there was little by way of mitigation, said the lawyer.

Defence QC Peter Irvine confirmed that Hill maintains his innocence but submitted that the nature of the offences the jury had convicted him of are “at the lower end of the scale of indecent assaults”.

Following a discussion between the lawyer and Judge Sherrard, the judge said the result of Hill’s prostate biopsy and potential future treatment may affect the sentence, but equally “it may very well be that it makes absolutely no difference”.

He added, however, that the issue is properly investigated and the position clarified before he proceeds, so he freed Hill on bail to November 8.

Daniel Hill at Antrim Crown Court

❝ With no degree of remorse by the defendant, there is little by way of mitigation