Former GMP police officer sexually assaulted young girl

Dean Dempster appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Wednesday, November 13) having previously pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the young girl, six counts of making indecent photographs of children and two counts of misconduct in public office.

The court heard how Dempster's acts had harmed the victim and had also damaged relations between the police and the community.

Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, told the court that in December last year, Dempster, who served in Oldham, attended an address to respond to an incident and went upstairs with a child while other officers stayed downstairs.

Whilst he was upstairs, Dempster, 35, turned off his body-worn camera and went into a room with the young victim.

In the room, Dempster sexually touched the girl while also using his phone to take a picture in the room.

Later that evening, the girl told family members what Dempster had done and the incident was reported to police.

Dean Dempster was sacked earlier this year (Image: GMP)

Dempster initially fabricated details of the incident before he was arrested and had his phone seized.

An examination of his phone found Dempster had made hundreds of indecent images of children, including 104 in the most serious category, as well as pseudo images which depicted Dempster with the children pictured.

A search of his home also found more devices along with items of children's clothing.

Ms Thomson said the images showed Dempster had "an unhealthy sexual interest in children", with the downloads of the images dating back two years before the incident in December.

The court also heard that Dempster, who was sacked and barred from GMP earlier this year, had taken still images of a child from his body-worn camera nearly two years earlier while he had attended an incident in Oldham.

The court heard a statement from Superintendent Philip Hutchinson of GMP, who said that after Dempster's arrest, "tensions began to rise" in some areas of Oldham due to a lack of trust.

He said officers dealing with incidents would sometimes not be left alone with children by parents and would have words shouted at them, which Supt Hutchinson said made him "genuinely concerned officers were being stopped from performing core duties".

Supt Hutchinson added that the incident had sent "absolute shock waves" through Oldham Police Station as well as the "significant impact on community confidence".

David James, defending, said that despite Dempster's somewhat "normalised life", he had a "sordid secret" which made him "the personification of society's repulsion".

He added that while Dempster's behaviour had been "detestable", he had "something positive in his character" due to his commitment to working in public services, including the ambulance service, and that he was "clearly damaged".

When passing sentence, Judge Stuart Driver KC said to Dempster that his crimes "betrayed the public" and that he had "pretended to protect" vulnerable young children.

Judge Driver added he had "no doubt" that Dempster was a dangerous offender, adding: "You were prepared to take risks to exploit vulnerable children for your pleasure."

Dempster was handed an extended sentence of 14 years, of which he must serve at least nine years before he can serve the remainder on licence.

He was also handed an extended licence period of five years and has been issued a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Google Maps)

Deputy Chief Constable of GMP, Terry Woods, said: “I am angry and appalled at this abhorrent abuse of responsibility and trust.

"We commend the bravery of this young victim for coming forward.

"We apologise to her family and know nothing will ever undo the harm Dempster has caused to his victims.

“Dempster represents the very worst of society. He is not a police officer, he is a child sex offender, a criminal, and he has no right to be near police uniform or serve the public.

"Dempster was rightfully arrested and charged before he could ever work in our communities again.

“We have thoroughly reviewed Dempster’s vetting and can confidently say there was nothing to remotely suggest he had a sexual interest in children.

"He was a man with a career in public service and his record showed no signs of warning.

“Dempster is a depraved exception who we have wasted no time in dismissing and disowning.

“The thousands of officers he has let down are committed to the protection of children in Oldham and Greater Manchester, and anyone who undermines this priority has no place in GMP.”

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime division, said: “Dean Dempster’s actions were abhorrent, and he betrayed the trust placed in him as a serving police officer.

“The sexual assault took place while he was on duty, and there is no doubt that the victim has been deeply affected by being targeted by someone in authority.

“Subsequent searches of Dempster’s devices and his home address revealed further deplorable offending, and he is now facing the consequences of his actions.

“The Crown Prosecution Service will not hesitate to bring charges against those who abuse their position and target young people in such a reprehensible way.”