WEBSTER HART PLACED ON PROBATION

  
Andrew Webster Hart (Washington Co. mugshot)
Andrew Webster Hart
(Washington Co. mugshot)

A former Washington County official has reportedly been placed on 10 years’ probation after pleading guilty to indecency with a child/ sexual contact.

72-year old Webster Hart, entered his plea to the second-degree felony in district court last Thursday.

Judge Carson Campbell also ordered Hart to perform 300 hours of community service and register as a sex offender during his probation.

Hart, who once served as the county's Emergency Management Coordinator, was arrested and charged back in October after a family member contacted authorities.

Also under conditions of his probation, Hart cannot return to Washington County except for medical reasons or court appearances, cannot have unsupervised contact with anyone under age 17 unless approved by the court, and must remain 1,000 feet away from any place “where children commonly gather” unless it is for residency purposes.

 

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26 Comments

  1. This is what happens when your District Attorney won’t take a stand for justice. Blame the DA office who accepted the plea, and remember this when you go to the polls. Child molesters belong in jail.

  2. A public forum is a great place to express your thoughts on current events. Staying anonymous while doing so shows extreme cowardice. If you read local punishments handed down for crimes committed, this particular sentence should strike you as inconsistent. I am disgusted with this sentence. Webster Hart should spend his last days in prison. He is a habitual preditor. You can justify this however you want, but I can tell you that there’s no way in hell I would let Webter Hart be in the same room as my 10 year old daughter alone. No matter how “knowledgable” you may be, I’d bet you’d do the same.

  3. I don’t think it matters what position he had in the community, how long he has been employed, if he had or hadn’t had a prior criminal past or his age. What he did was wrong, period. Boo-hoo he can’t come back to Washington Co and has to register as a sex offender. All this said, since he was convicted he should pay with prison time. Where is he going to do his 300hrs community service? The child in this case is sentenced to a lifetime of nightmares.

  4. I am so very sad for the little victim in all of this. While Hart will have a ten year probated sentence, this child will have a lifetime of pain and suffering. So, so sad!

  5. I do not think that this article tells the whole story and it is hard for us to judge. It does. Not state that the victim’s family requested the District Attorney offer Probation. Which is actually the truth. It does not say that the Hart underwent a lot of evaluations to determine his risk factors before this happened. Just like Ferguson and cases like it we jump to conclusions. Unless you know the whole story be careful what you say. Where does it say there were multiple victims?

    The DWI/Child case you are referring to was not handled by the District Attorney. If you go look at the file in the District Clerk’s Office, which I did after hearing about it, the present DA recused herself because that defendant was a past employee. That case was around two years and not prosecuted by the prior guy. She came and had the Judge appoint a different person. Gave up her jurisdiction because the State Bar rules required her to. So tell the whole story or try to find out the story.

  6. Any adult knows better than to assault a child.If justice was what you do to someone else should be done to you. Maybe people would think about it more before doing the crime. Sexual predators get it too easy for the hell they put thier victims through. Anywhere not just here.

  7. He deserves to rot in jail for what he did! This was done to a family member and sexual assault of a minor is a crime and regardless of his condition he deserves to be in jail! If he would do this to a person he should care about and want to protect who else will he do this to? As I said before he will have his day of reckoning and in my opinion and obviously plenty of other peoples as well he deserves to be in jail!

  8. I’m a firm believer that justice will be, if it hasn’t already, be served against the perpetrator. Judge Carson Campbell is being berated and bad mouthed and yet the media is biased. I agree with Knowledgeable, in that those of whom pass judgement in either direction, in this case; should accept that being an appointed person to judge others is more effective if he/she is as unbiased and metered as can be mustered. Especially, under such appalling circumstances of the crime committed. Applause for Carson Campbell, justice remains blind in his eyes, in my opinion anyway.

  9. All things considered, Probation appears appropriate in this case. I worked as a Probation Officer for over nine years. What prosecutors look at is the defendant’s prior criminal history, family situation, employment status, and ties to the community. Look at the people in the Sex Offender Registry and trace their employment histories. Many have had fifteen addresses in ten years and never held a job for more than a couple of weeks. Knowing as little as I do about the case (I may have met Webster socially but don’t know him personally), this seems fair.

  10. Anyone that injures a child should go to jail. Every person in Washington county should make their voices heard and tell Carson Campbell how very disappointed they are with his decision. That poor child who heard her voice?

  11. This is absolutely absurd! I cannot believe they would let this man walk free to do this to other children! What is wrong with our judicial system?!? It’s all about who you are in Washington county! I’m so glad I don’t live there anymore!

  12. I have no doubt that had this been any other “regular joe” in our community, he would’ve definitely seen a prison term. I’m sure Hart’s age and medical condition played a big part in the lenient sentence along with his years of community involvement. Still, just goes to show, it’s all about who you are, who you know and how fat your wallet is in this town.

  13. No one wakes up and “becomes” a sexual predator. This is simply the one time in his life he got caught. So, for the ones who have suffered silently, this decision molests them yet again. He will do it again, somewhere else…and that blood is on your hands. Do some research on the subject, if you’re the one handing down the sentence, and endangering other children, by turning this monster loose.

    1. Sickened, – maybe you should do your research. I doubt many of the people commenting here actually know the facts of this case. I also doubt that any commenters have actually researched this topic, or the duties and responsibilities of the officials involved. Brief research reveals that criminal laws in Texas allow for punishment ranges in most cases. Such ranges suggest a recognition that punishments for the same crime can, and often times should, vary. As to sexual assault victims, some quick internet research would educate you to the following: “Plea negotiations can be beneficial in multiple ways, such as promoting the timely resolution of cases, minimizing the likelihood of system–induced trauma for victims and their families, avoiding the potential for a not–guilty verdict at trial, and limiting appellate issues.” That comes from an article on victim centered approach to sex crimes. Maybe the family of the victim and / or the prosecutors did not want that child to re-live the abuse by putting them through the pain of a public trial. Additionally, brief research would educate people about that the “primary duty” of all prosecuting attorneys: “…is not to convict, but to see that justice is done.” It seems logical that if every case is different, and every defendant is different, that it becomes possible that justice will not always be a singular outcome. There may be subjective considerations. Those considerations could involve facts and information that is available to those making the decisions, but not available to all of us. Maybe justice is variable rather than a constant. Maybe justice will not always look the same in every case, or to every individual looking in on a particular case.

  14. Ten years probation-what a slap in the face to the victim and the victim’s family. Carson Campbell should be ashamed of himself. This is the second time in less than six months that he has been way too lenient on child sexual predators. And how is it that Webster Hart only has to register as a sex offender for the ten years he is on probation? Why not for the rest of his life? Don’t think an 82 year old man would ever do something like that? Think again Carson Campbell. Would you allow any of your children, nieces, nephews, children of friends, etc to be around him in ten years? You are failing all children and I hope that is remembered when election time rolls around.

  15. This is a terrible message to send to the residents of Washington county! This man should be locked up for the rest of his life as the poor child who had to endure his horrific acts will never be free from the hell they had to endure at the hands of this monster.

  16. This animal should be in prison. Sex offenders have no right to be in the free world. Probation? Really? He should be in prison! Sex offenders are never rehabilitated! Registering them is not enough. A person that can sexually assault their own family member has done a horrific act and that poor child will have to deal with the fall out for the rest of their lives. There won’t be enough counseling to help this child “make up” for the fact that they have had this done to them, and in many cases can be a virtual death sentence to the victim! Statistics don’t lie! I am in utter disgust with the legal system at this point! Justice has not been served!

  17. 10 years Probation? Really That’s it? Way to send a message to the Washington county predators!! Praying that this is justice for that child and family! Probation wow WHY??

  18. I think it is shameful that sexual predators like ,Webester Hart ,receive probation for their sentence. The poor chid, or children, that are molested receive a hard life sentence without probation.

    1. Why? Every situation is unique. Unless you know all details and circumstances such viscious judgements should not be spoken or thought. As Christians, we are taught to have understanding and forgiveness, such are the teachings of Christ. In this case, the punishment more than compensated for the degree of the offense. Judge not, less ye be judged. Sunday school basics.

      1. Would you be saying the same thing had this been done to one of your children? I think not! You go tell that poor child to their face you think his sentence was just, doubt you can do that! He will have his day of reckoning, however he should be in jail until then!

        1. Again, unless you are knowledgeable about the details of this offense, that attitude is not justified. I speak from personal experience as a child victim of a senior offender that never was prosecuted. And as a parent whose child endured an incident from an older juvenile. The prosecutors office and Judge Campbell served justice well in this case. Get the facts, if you do not have first hand knowledge, do not make judgements about offender or victim.

          1. The only facts I need are “continued sexual abuse of child under the age of six”. Ten years and then it is off his record. Do you think ten years is enough for the victim to forget about what was CONTINUALLY done to him or her? As to your first post, forgiveness is one thing, but I for one will NEVER understand. And I don’t think wanting Webster Hart and all child predators to be punished to the fullest makes me any less of a Christian.

      2. I have seen many cases come out of this courthouse over the past three years. After I was notified about a certain DWI/Child case. Many offenders with little money and shotty legal representation have done more time for lesser offenses in this county. I understand what you mean by every situation being unique. But a man on separate occasions molesting his younger family member does not deserve probation. This office needs an external investigation.

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