2024 – richardhwrote

So what now? From report to court – part ten

After the verdict and sentencing, it took a while for the dust to settle. The last four years of my life had been consumed by the investigation and trial dates. The ‘ifs’ ‘ands’ and ‘maybes’ had hung in the air, and my life orbited them. When it finally came to…

Richard Hall June 21, 2024

abuse Clown Prosecution Service CPS

From report to court, part nine – I have a probation worker

In the last email I hope to ever receive from the CPS, they told me what I already knew about Tim’s sentencing, and that The Restorative Justice Team would be contacting me in the near future. That team is the one that liaises between a convict and a victim, if…

Richard Hall June 14, 2024

abuse Clown Prosecution Service court

From report to court, part eight – Being on the stand

I didn’t want Jon to be in court with me. As much as knowing he was there would be a comfort, it would also make me conscious of what I was saying. I know my past upsets him, simply because it causes me pain and he can’t fix that or…

Richard Hall June 7, 2024

abuse Clown Prosecution Service court

From report to court, part seven – Days in court

The defence barrister, Ms Nadia Chbat, managed to obstruct the rescheduling of the trial for another two months. It wasn’t until the Judge summoned her back to court where she faced potential ramifications for her behaviour, that the medical reports magically appeared. Unsurprisingly, Tim was found both mentally and physically…

Richard Hall May 31, 2024

abuse Clown Prosecution Service court

From report to court, part six – Court Dates one, two, and three

DC Ross completed the case file, and towards the end of 2021 my chosen-country’s borders opened after lockdowns. Getting home was disorienting. My husband had to move apartments while I was away, so it was both home and not. But being back with him gave me some mental distance from…

Richard Hall May 24, 2024

abuse from Report to Court police

From report to court, part five – Two become three

By the time England was in the Christmas lockdown of 2020, Alfie was ready to his interview. He made the same choice as me and went on his own, but Ross logged my address in the police system to say Alfie could visit me. He didn’t though, he did what…

Richard Hall May 17, 2024

abuse from Report to Court police

From report to court, part four – Not alone anymore

DC Ross came back into the interview room with a handful of paperwork. I still hadn’t had it confirmed that the person I was talking about and the article I’d found were the same person. All the jigsaw pieces fit, but there was a tiny chance I’d just reported Tim,…

Richard Hall May 10, 2024

abuse from Report to Court police

From report to court, part three – Video Recorded Interview

I only had to wait two days for my interview, and in some ways I was glad it wasn’t longer. Not because I was going to get cold feet, they were already frozen, I just didn’t want to live with the dread of what would happen when I said everything…

Richard Hall May 3, 2024

abuse from Report to Court police

From report to court, part two – Meeting CID

I hadn’t thought I’d sleep, but I woke from a dreamless blackness. I looked at the clock, 06:42. Tonight there’d be police here. The woman who took my call said they’d get to me between 17:30 and 19:00. All I had to do now was get through the next twelve…

Richard Hall April 26, 2024

abuse from Report to Court police

From report to court, part one – Calling the police

My breath was warm on my hands as I cradled my face. I lifted my head and looked at my phone beside me on the sofa. When I’d sent Alfie the news article, I’d needed him to tell me it wasn’t Tim. I’d have been okay if he’d said he…

Richard Hall April 19, 2024

author stories

The Secrets Tree. A short story.

I want to take a break from the serious side of life for a moment, and so I present, The Secrets Tree. The idea for this story came to me in the shower. I wanted to help someone with an example of how to show the passing of time, without…

Richard Hall April 12, 2024

abuse campaigner police

Places of support

On a chilly autumn night in 2020, at around 3 a.m., I walked home talking to my phone. I’d taken to recording my thoughts and feelings. I wasn’t in the head space to write properly, and talking was freer, less thought out, it had an openness to it that writing…

Richard Hall April 5, 2024

abuse Clown Prosecution Service court

The Sentencing – Consequences of my abusers actions

I closed my book with fifty pages to go. I was reading Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah, and I didn’t want the ending to be clouded by the feelings that were building inside me. It was 16:44, a little over two hours before I had to log into the court…

Richard Hall March 29, 2024

background checks campaigner

How did a paedophile slip through the net to become a local councillor?

I’ve lost count of the amount of DBS checks I’ve had. DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service, and it replaced CRB checks, which was Criminal Records Bureau. I had mine because I was a youth-worker, then I freelanced in schools as an artist, I’ve also needed them for visa…

Richard Hall March 25, 2024

campaigner

Lazy local journalists

I’d been writing about my past and discussing my history with my sister when I found the article detailing Tim’s conviction. My Siter became the first person to challenge the way I was thinking. I was stuck defending him like I was still a kid that needed to do what…

Richard Hall March 19, 2024