ALAN DOBSON AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENCES IN DURHAM
Alan Dobson, aged 39, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after a series of serious breaches of a court-imposed sexual offences prevention order in Durham.The case was heard at Durham Crown Court, where it was revealed that Dobson had willfully disregarded the restrictions placed upon him less than four months after their enforcement.
The court's findings detailed a disturbing pattern of inappropriate conduct involving underage girls, which alarmed authorities and led to his subsequent conviction.
Dobson's criminal history includes previous convictions related to sexual misconduct with minors.
In 1997, he was convicted while working at a kebab shop for having engaged in sexual acts with underage girls.
Later, in 2005, he received a suspended prison sentence after admitting to sexual activity with a girl under 16.
These prior offenses underscored the risks associated with his behavior and prompted intensified supervision.
In April, due to concerns over Dobson's conduct, police obtained and successfully applied for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order through North Durham magistrates.
The order explicitly prohibited Dobson from engaging in any unsupervised interactions with children under the age of 16.
Despite this, the court heard harrowing details of his behavior during his employment as a pizza delivery driver in August.
It was reported that Dobson took underage girls for rides in his car while delivering pizzas, a pattern that raised significant alarm.
Prosecutor Adrian Dent described how Dobson bought alcohol for the girls, took them to a local McDonald's takeout, and then drove them to secluded woodland areas.
During these encounters, Dobson made suggestive remarks, actions that strongly indicated grooming behavior.
Evidence indicated that at one point, he allowed one of the girls to sit in the driver's seat of his vehicle during a delivery, further exposing the girls to ongoing risk.
When Dobson learned that police were investigating his activities, he allegedly instructed the girls to lie or conceal the truth from authorities.
Dobson, who resides on Melville Street in Chester-le-Street, admitted to multiple breaches of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order—specifically, he committed eight breaches, in addition to one count of sexual assault.
His defense lawyer, Lorraine Mustard, acknowledged that while these breaches might not be among the most severe, they demonstrated a concerning disregard for the restrictions designed to protect minors.
She pointed out that the shop owner was aware of Dobson’s past convictions when he employed him, implying a lack of appropriate oversight.
Judge Esmond Faulks delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the gravity of Dobson’s actions.
The judge stated, “You took these girls in your car, bought them alcohol, made suggestive remarks, and this was clearly grooming them with the intent of sexual activity.
You completely ignored the court order, which was meant to prevent such behavior.
These are flagrant breaches.” The court also ordered that Dobson's Sexual Offences Prevention Order be renewed indefinitely, and he was disqualified from working with children for an extended period.
Additionally, Dobson is now required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, a measure that underscores the seriousness of his misconduct in Durham.
