November 2014 Polegate man jailed for sexual assaults on young girls A Polegate man has been sentenced to a six and a half years in prison for 18 sexual offences against three young girls known to him. Dean Davies, 20, unemployed, of Walnut Walk, Polegate, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court today (November 18), after a two-week trial the previous month in which he had pleaded not guilty to all offences. The offences of which he was convicted were nine sexual assaults on a girl then aged between six and seven during 2005 and 2006; four sexual assaults and one attempted sexual assault on a second girl then aged between 10 and 11 during 2006 and 2007; and two offences of attempted rape of the same girl during the same period; and one offence of rape of a 16-year old girl in February 2013. He was found not guilty of two charges of rape of a fourth girl then aged 14 during 2009. The charges, authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service, followed an investigation by detectives from East Sussex CID. Sentencing, Judge Guy Anthony said, “You did not have the courage to plead guilty, and the victims therefore had to give evidence in court.” Detective Constable Jo Barber said, “Over several years, Davies, from the age of 11 onward, carried out a series of serious sexual offences against three very vulnerable young girls he met and befriended, including several rapes. “Eventually we were able to compile full accounts from the victims, and established the exact circumstances. All three were distressed by their experiences and had found difficulty in explaining what had happened at the time.