Daniel ‘Jimmy’ Hanson: Newcastle singer pleaded guilty to child sex and indecent assault charges
He used his status and popularity to seek sex from young girls and women at live gigs he played at, according to police. “It’s our little secret” he would tell them.
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A Newcastle musician who met young girls at live gigs, before he lured them into having sex, telling them “it’s our little secret”, has pleaded guilty to more than 20 child sex and indecent assault charges.
Daniel ‘Jimmy’ Hanson - former lead singer for well-known Newcastle bands ‘Falling for Beloved’ and ‘We built Atlantis’ - used his status and popularity to seek sex from fans, according to police facts.
From the time he was 18 until he was 24, court documents revealed Hanson showed sexual interest in young women under 16 and would style himself with the pseudonym “Jimmy Beloved”.
The common theme was, he would meet the young women at the band’s performance and ask for their phone number, before sending them messages of a sexual nature, often including nude photographs.
Police facts detailed how he took one young woman to a secluded stormwater drain near his home and would have sex with her.
In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday, the now 34-year-old appeared via video link represented by solicitor Mandy Hull and pleaded guilty to 23 charges of the 111 against him, relating to 15 victims from 2008 to 2014, aged between 12 and 22.
Two of those charges included two counts of an adult maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, a charge that was strengthened following the royal commission and now carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Three charges of common assault are related offences.
As a result of the pleas, the remaining charges were dismissed and he’ll appear in the District Court on December 10 to get a sentence date.
Following an investigation into multiple complaints, Hanson was arrested at his workplace on Darby St, Cooks Hill in August last year and charged with 10 sexual and indecent offences.
From then on, numerous other victims gradually came forward to police as more and more charges were added, the latest in July.
Court documents also revealed Hanson gifted a 13-year-old girl a bracelet and composed a poem for her after they engaged in sexual activity, while he said to another 14-year-old victim, “you were the most beautiful girl in the room, you have intoxicating eyes”.
And on one occasion a 16-year-old girl met up with Hanson and he took her to a secluded park and tossed gum-nuts on her cleavage before forcing himself on her.
“It’s our little secret, we are besties, don’t tell anyone,” he would say according to police facts.
TIMELINE
August, 2019: 10 charges
Aggravated sexual assault of a victim under 16, indecent assault, incite to commit and act of indecency with a victim 16 years and over, common assault.
November 2019: 45 charges
Aggravated sexual assault, sexual intercourse without consent, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, common assault, incite a person under the age of 16 to commit an act of indecency.
April, 2020: 5 charges
Aggravated sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, incite a person under the age of 16 to commit an act of indecency.
July, 2020: 51 charges
Adult maintain unlawful relationship with a child, have sexual intercourse with a person between 14 and 16, sexual intercourse of a person between 10 and 14, indecent assault of a person under 16, aggravated indecent assault of a victim under 16, assault with act of indecency, incite person under 16 to commit an act of indecency, sexual intercourse without consent, commit an act of indecency with person under 16.
November, 2020: pleaded guilty to 23 charges (3 charges related, 85 charges dismissed)
Adult maintain unlawful relationship with child, have sexual intercourse with a person between 14 and 16, aggravated indecent assault of victim under 16, incite a person under 16 to commit an act of indecency, aggravated indecent assault of victim under 16, sexual intercourse without consent.