I found the info re Hall's previous.
Prosecutor Simon Spence revealed that Hall had previously been sentenced to a total of 17 months at a young offenders' institute for assault causing actual bodily harm and wounding. He was sentenced at Bury St Edmund's Crown Court in June 1997.
He said the assault conviction, which had incurred eight months of the sentence, had happened when Hall approached a young man called Martin Russell in McDonalds in Ipswich, pushed him and asked: "What's all this about your dad accusing me of doing it in his car?"
The victim was left with cuts to his ear needing two stitches, a grazed chin and a cracked tooth on January 13, 1997.
Mr Spence added that on January 6, 1997, Hall lay in wait for a man called Stefan Bell outside a doctor's surgery in Ipswich. He went up and said hello, then for no reason punched him in the face and continued kicking him when he fell to the ground, while a co-defendant hit him over the head with a bottle.
After today's murder verdict, Mrs Justice Rafferty said: "Only one sentence is permitted by law and that is life imprisonment."
But she ordered reports to be prepared before officially proclaiming the sentence.
EX-GIRLFRIEND TELLS OF MOOD SWINGS AND VIOLENCE – two pages of background on the killer and his victim only in TONIGHT'S EVENING STAR.
http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/life-behind-bars-for-capel-killer-1-132809
So Hall was 19 yoa when he first carried out acts of violence which escalated to murder by the time he was 24 yoa.
This is what Simon Hall's brother had to say about him after he'd confessed - wonder why he didn't tell the police this when his brother was under suspicion of murder?
10th Dec 2013
"No idea. Doubtful though. Simon was always a jack I lad and getting in trouble. It doesn't fit.
I mentioned it previously because I wondered who started it. Since speaking to the family I know he has lied to everyone, especially the wife.
Simon caused a lot of trouble for the family with drugs and money issues. Communication broke down and simon stopped writing and doing anything. No wonder really as he couldn't cope. I saw him once and he was not the guy I remember at school.
The family didn't do anything bad as I can see, they tried but it's a tough situation imho.
When the wife came on the scene she lied and I heard stole money from them and even rang Simons estranged family. Not very good behaviour but I think she knew it all along."
"Quite the opposite, I think they believed in him but couldn't handle his actions. I think the wife made it up and in his deluded state he went along with it. It's just what I think in the things I have read.
"I dont think anything you have put forward is true.
His family didn't know anything and have never had a secret to keep. Not sure why your so obsessed with them
"Not at all.
If simon did kill Joan then that's one thing and not the families fault or his brothers. I've never read anything to back this up and people I know are friends of Simons brother and they would know more but it's very unlikely. Why do you attack his family so much? It's evident you have an issue with them all?
"Ill ask again about Simon as this isn't the Kevin thread, does anyone know where simon is at the mo?
Has anyone actually seen his confession. After reading about his original statement it seems clear there is a time gap but I cant see how he did it without leaving proof!
http://jeremybamberforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,4548.msg205456.html#msg205456Why do you think people make false allegations about others Holly on public forums Holly?
Why was Shaun Hall still attempting to smear my name? Keep the heat away from him and his adoptive parents perhaps?