Geoff Hillier

Geoff Hillier, 72, from Haswell Avenue in Hartlepool, was found guilty of two charges of indecent assault and two serious sexual offences against children at the Burn Valley Gardens public toilets. These crimes were committed in the late 1970s and 1980s, targeting boys aged between 12 and 16 in a public space used by the offenders for adult liaisons.

Linked to the wider probe into Hartlepool's historical child abuse cases, particularly after Gerald Martin's 20-year imprisonment in 2016, victims' statements implicated Hillier. A 10-day trial at Teesside Crown Court ended on 28 February 2017 with convictions on all charges against him.

• Hillier acknowledged using the toilets for homosexual activity with adults.
• The serious sexual offences involved grave violations against young victims.
• Evidence from three victims connected the abuses across the group of men.

In court, Judge Howard Crowson explained the need for probation reports, saying, 'It is easier for those to be prepared while you are on bail... But you shouldn't take that as any indication of the type of sentence, there is an inevitability about that.' Hillier was bailed to appear for sentencing on 17 March 2017, contributing to the accountability for long-standing sexual exploitation in the area.