While the district courts are transferring his case, the English “pastor” Daniel Hull may be released due to the 8-month maximum detention period, that had already expired.
As we have repeatedly informed the National Network for Children is actively monitoring and supporting the proceedings in the criminal case against English “pastor” Daniel Hull, accused of systematic fornication with 14 boys from the district of Nadezhda in the town of Sliven. This case is an eloquent illustration of the state’s complete inability to provide access to justice for child victims of crime and sexual abuse.
We recall that the problems started during the pre-trial proceedings – when child victims were questioned in front of an investigator in the small hours of the night.
Subsequently, the case was heard by the regional court of Sliven, and for many months all criminal and civil judges made recusals, often without specific arguments.
In the summer of 2024, the judges, who were working on the case were given the following verdict. In the summer of 2424, the National Network for Children and the For Hope Foundation assisted Free Europe Radio in producing a documentary about this monstrous case. We also sent several reports to the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council. After the recusals of all the judges of the District Court – Sliven, the Supreme Cassation Court assigned the criminal case to be heard by the District Court – Nova Zagora, without taking into account that there are secret materials in the case, which this court objectively cannot administer!
So, several more months of agony passed for the child victims and their families until the Supreme Cassation Court assigned the case to the Yambol District Court. And it is there that we come to yet another act of frustration by our judicial system.
On 19.02.2025, the second hearing in the criminal case was held in the regional court of Yambol. The court dismissed the case and returned the indictment to the prosecutor regarding correction of inaccuracies and incompleteness. Unfortunately, the elimination of these defects would mean the return of the proceedings to the pre-trial stage and the submission of a new decree for bringing the accused to trial, which would also lead to the automatic release of Daniel Hull from custody, due to the expiry of the 8-month maximum detention period.
The supervising prosecutor is about to protest, and we hope, that the Yambol District Court will overturn the termination order and return the case to the court of first instance for further proceedings. Otherwise, confirmation of the order of the regional court of Yambol by the upper instance would mean the revocation of the measure of Daniel Hull and his release!
For 2 years now, 14 child victims have been growing up between the dates of the failed court hearings, waiting for their next court hearing and feeling that they will never get justice, and now the man accused of fornicating with them will probably be set free!
We, the National Network for Children and our Legal Aid Network express our deep indignation at the course of the criminal case and will immediately refer the case to the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Acting Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria, the State Agency For Child Protecton, and the Child Rights Directorate of the Ombudsman’s Administration.”
Image: still from the Free Europe film “At least 14 child victims. How Bulgarian justice surrendered to a pedophile”
