August 2010

Paedophile jailed for assaulting three girls and downloading child pornography

A PREDATORY paedophile who abused three girls and downloaded sickening child pornography has been jailed indefinitely.

Dean Hallam who is formerly from Kirkby kissed and sexually touched the youngest girl, who was 13, over three months.

He groomed her with text messages and late-night phone calls, and also incited her to touch him in a sexual way.

He then downloaded the pornography while on bail in relation to abusing the 13-year-old, who is now 15.

The two older victims came forward to police after they heard Hallam had abused the younger girl.

Giving the 34-year-old an indeterminate sentence for public protection, Judge Dudley Bennett said Hallam was a danger to children.

“You are rightly to be described, in my judgment, as a predatory paedophile,” Judge Bennett said.

“You systematically targeted, in particular, this young girl. You groomed her in the most overt way.

“You are caught, you are bailed, and as soon as you are bailed you are on a computer downloading child porn.”

Hallam was 32 when he groomed the 13-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons. When he was 28 he abused Stacey-Jane, who was 14 or 15 at the time.

He had previously abused her sister, Claire, when he was aged 26 or 27. Claire was 16 when the first incident happened, and 16 or 17 when the second happened.

Stacey-Jane and Claire previously waived their right to anonymity, which is given to victims of sexual offences.

Claire, from Beeston, previously told the Post: “It is disgusting what he did to us, but it is more disgusting what he did to the other girl. She was much younger than us.”

On two occasions, Claire awoke to find Hallam touching her sexually under her clothes.

Stacey-Jane was on holiday in Matlock when she woke to find Hallam rubbing her sexually over her trousers.

Hallam downloaded the child pornography in December 2009 and January 2010.

There were 461 indecent images. Of these images, 60 were graded at level four and 13 were at level five – the most serious levels.

As well as photographs they included videos of young girls being sexually abused. Some of the girls in the images were as young as two-years-old.

When interviewed by police, Hallam initially denied knowing the images were on his laptop. He later admitted downloading the images.

In relation to the 13-year-old, Hallam pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, meeting a female for grooming, two counts of causing or inciting a female under 16 to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of sexual activity with a female under 16.

He was living in St Ann’s when the abuse happened.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of indecent assault on a female in relation to Stacey-Jane and Claire.

Hallam must serve a minimum term of six years before he can even apply to be released on licence.

Judge Bennett told him: “It means you can apply to be released but you will not be unless the parole board are satisfied it is safe to do so.”

He will also have to go on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Judge Bennett said it was in Hallam’s favour that he had not previously troubled the courts.

After Hallam was sentenced, the youngest victim’s mother said: “I’m very happy with the sentence because it proves she was telling the truth to everybody that called her a liar.

“Because of my daughter’s actions other children have been kept safe.”

Claire, now 24, said: “I’m happy with the sentence. I think it’s absolutely disgusting what he has done.”

Stacey-Jane, now 21, said: “I feel better. I feel believed. I hope he never gets out.”