Stuart Hall: Disgraced TV presenter jailed for assaults against girls blasts 'vindictive, malicious' sex accusers

The former broadcaster spoke publicly for the first time since leaving prison

Stuart Hall who has been released from prison ahead of his 86th birthday next week (PA)

Disgraced broadcaster Stuart Hall has hit out at "vindictive malicious people" who accused him of sex crimes, as he spoke publicly for the first time since leaving prison.

The former It's A Knockout presenter was released in December after serving half of a five-year jail term for historical indecent assaults against girls aged between nine and 17.

In an interview with The Sun, he said he lived one day at a time and was grateful to still be alive.

He said: "To go from being a national treasure to the bottom of the pond has been very difficult.

"The vindictive malicious people who have impugned me will think again. I'm hoping for fairness from everybody."

The 86-year-old's comments come the day before the publication of a report into the culture and practices at the BBC in the years that he and Jimmy Savile worked at the corporation.

A leaked draft version of the report, by former Court of Appeal judge Dame Janet Smith, condemned the BBC for its "deferential culture" and "untouchable stars", and criticised it for having managers who were "above the law".

A woman who was attacked by Hall as a teen told The Sun: "To me he'll always be the lowest of the low, a vile paedophile who's ruined so many lives."

In June 2013, Hall was jailed for 15 months after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls before it was doubled by the Court of the Appeal, which ruled the sentence was "inadequate".

Last May he received an additional 30 months in jail - to run consecutively - for two indecent assaults on another girl.

Father-of-two Hall was placed on licence for 15 months after his release and as a convicted sex offender is subject to strict conditions.

He was stripped of his OBE for broadcasting and charity in the wake of his convictions.