Brave child victims of Telford 'sex predator' football coach are praised
The victims of a “sexual predator” football coach from Telford have been praised for their bravery by police.
Joe Daniel Hall, 26, was jailed for 30 months at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday after he was found guilty of a string of child sex offences.
Detective Sergeant Jo Delahay, from West Mercia’s protecting vulnerable people department, said: “Hall has quite clearly abused his position of trust and responsibility to take advantage of impressionable young teenage girls.
“I’d like to thank the victims for coming forward and reporting this to us, their bravery and courage in telling us what happened has meant we have been able to stop his despicable offending and he is now facing time in prison.”
The jury heard how Hall, of Brands Farm Way, Randlay, abused his position of trust as a football coach and along with sending explicit images of himself and text messages containing sexual references, he also encouraged his victims to send photographs of themselves to him.
He also showed a pornographic video to three victims and a live feed of himself carrying out a sex act to another.
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Hall was also found guilty of exposure after an adult came forward stating he had exposed himself to her when she was a teenager.
He was charged with causing a child aged 13 to 15 to watch an image of sexual activity, three counts of adult abuse of position of trust – causing or inciting sexual activity, adult abuse of position of trust – sexual activity in presence of a child and exposure.
Judge Peter Barrie described Hall as a “sexual predator” when he sentenced him.
Hall was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 14 years, will be prevented from working with children in the future,and will be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
He was found not guilty of one count of possessing extreme pornographic images following a trial.
Throughout the investigation police worked closely with the Football Association.
The NSPCC welcomed the prison sentence handed to Hall, saying it sent out an important message.
