In 2016, the Offender Database recorded that James Hunt, then 21, was serving an eight-year sentence for the repeated rape of a 15-year-old girl, whom he left pregnant. On Monday, 11 July 2016, details emerged that Hunt had boasted about “copying” his father, Neil Hunt, who was previously jailed at Winchester Crown Court for a violent street rape. The court reported that the younger Hunt used his father’s criminal history as a point of pride while subjecting his victim, Bethany Hazell, to years of abuse.
The investigation established that Hunt and the victim met at a scout camp in 2010, when both were 15. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary reported that the relationship quickly became controlling and violent, with Hunt punching walls and hiding the victim’s clothing to prevent her from socialising. The prosecution reported that the first rape occurred six months into the relationship when Hunt ignored the victim’s protests, followed by a second attack ten months later, which resulted in a pregnancy.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that a third rape took place at the victim’s family home in Cosham, Portsmouth, while she was 20 weeks pregnant and her parents were downstairs. Portsmouth Crown Court heard that Hunt was only caught after he boasted about his crimes to a friend, a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). The prosecution reported that Hunt showed no remorse, even attempting to use his criminal record to “flirt” with other women online while claiming, “Dad did it, so I have done it now.”
The judge noted that Hunt’s actions were predatory and aggravated by his apparent pride in following his father’s criminal footsteps. For his actions in Portsmouth, Hampshire, he pleaded guilty to four counts of rape—three against Bethany and one involving a second victim. The judge noted that the victim, who waived her anonymity, suffered from post-natal depression, anxiety, and PTSD as a result of the systematic abuse.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, James Hunt was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Eight years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court in October 2013.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of four counts of rape against two separate victims.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Hunt is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and the prison estate. Due to the “violent and generational” nature of the rapes in Portsmouth, Hampshire, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Hunt must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his attempt to contact the victim from prison and his mother’s attempts to gain access to the child necessitate strict restraining orders and monitoring. Any breach of his registration conditions or his licence terms upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Portsmouth Crown Court.
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