Stuart Hall admits sex assault on under-age girl

Stuart Hall pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault. Picture: Getty

The 84-year-old stood in the dock at Preston Crown Court and replied “guilty” when asked how he pleaded to the offence, which took place between 26 January 1978 and 1 January 1979.

The charge was an additional count added by the prosecution shortly before the trial was set to begin.

He then went on to trial accused of 20 other counts of sexual assault. He was asked by the clerk of the court to identify himself as James Stuart Hall and replied: “Yes, I am.”

Prosecutor Peter Wright then asked for the judge’s permission to amend the indictment and add the additional charge, count 21, to which Hall pleaded guilty.

Hall sat with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap, listening to legal discussions wearing a large pair of earphones to help him follow proceedings.

He is charged with seven counts of rape against one complainant between 1976 and 1978 in Manchester. Five of the rapes are said to have taken place when she was under 16.

He is also accused of two counts of indecent assault against the same person.

In addition, he is charged with eight counts of rape and three indecent assaults against a second alleged victim between 1976 and 1981, at various locations in Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

One of those alleged rapes is said to have taken place when the complainant was under 13.

The jury of eight women and four men sworn in at Preston were told to focus on the evidence rather than anything they may have read, seen or heard about him.

Last year, Hall, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to 14 offences of indecent assault against 13 girls or young women at the same court and was jailed for 15 months.

Addressing the jurors ahead of the opening of the prosecution case today, Mr Justice Turner warned them of conducting any research on the case on the internet or elsewhere.

He added: “Put out of your mind anything you may have read, or do read, or may have heard or seen in this case in relation to this defendant.

“You must approach the basis of your task on the evidence you are presented with during the … trial and nothing else.

“Approach this case entirely dispassionately, without any sympathy for one side or the other.”

The former It’s A Knockout television show presenter and latterly BBC football commentator on Radio 5 Live has pleaded not guilty to all 20 allegations.

The trial is expected to last seven days.