Thug who attacked girls has sentence increased
A CAGE fighter jailed for a terrifying attack on his partner and two 13-year-old girls has had his sentence increased.
Liam Hall, 33, punched, kicked and choked the unrelated teenagers at his girlfriend’s home in Chilton, County Durham, in September, when he was drunk, on drugs and angry at having lost his wallet.
The 6ft 4ins tall, 20-stone offender then launched into a prolonged assault on his 24-year-old girlfriend, whose two young children were upstairs, leaving her with broken bones and serious facial injuries, before he calmly walked out of the blood-spattered house.
Hall admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and one of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of eight years, in December.
The judge also imposed an indefinite restraining order regarding this victims.
Solicitor General Alex Chalk QC referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing that it was unduly lenient and three judges increased Hall’s minimum term to 10 years and eight months on Thursday.
Lady Justice Nicola Davies, sitting with Mr Justice Fraser and Mr Justice Goose, said Hall had committed “gratuitous” assaults that were “terrifying in their nature”, adding that he had done “nothing to obtain help or assistance for the seriously injured victims”. She highlighted that two of his victims were “vulnerable and defenceless girls”.
Hall had a previous conviction for manslaughter, after he killed a man in a pub fight, and had only been dating the woman for a couple of months after being released on licence from a prison sentence for other serious, violent offences.
Joel Smith, representing the Solicitor General, said Hall’s offending was “particularly grave” and argued the way in which the sentencing judge, Recorder Jo Kidd, calculated his minimum term resulted in it being too short.
John Turner, representing Hall, argued there was “nothing unduly lenient or wrong in principle” with his original sentence, adding that it was an “appropriate and just final decision”.
But Lady Justice Davies said the “exceptional” circumstances of the case permitted judges to change Hall’s jail term.
Teesside Crown Court previously heard that Hall banged one girl’s head against the wall, then grabbed the other and choked her unconscious.
He also punched her repeatedly in the face and stamped on her face, and she later recalled choking on blood.
Hall broke her eye socket, nose and arm, and a consultant later said she had too many injuries to count.
The other 13-year-old was also knocked unconscious and she later recalled Hall dragging her upstairs by the hair.
Another child witnessed the scene and ran home hysterically to raise the alarm, telling her mother “there’s blood everywhere”, the court heard.
Each of his victims had statements read for them in court which detailed their ongoing trauma.
One girl said: “I look in the mirror
and I think I just don’t recognise myself.”
The other said: “I cannot remember everything. I think it would be better if I had remembered, it bothers me.”
His now ex-partner added: “I cannot begin to imagine how frightened they must have been when they went through what happened to them.”
Mr Turner previously said Hall could not remember the incident but had expressed remorse.
Hall, who is being held at HMP Ranby, did not attend Thursday’s hearing.