DEAN EDWARDS OF SPALDING SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN PETERBOROUGH

In February 2016, a man from Spalding, identified as Dean Edwards, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being convicted of serious sexual offenses involving a young girl. Edwards, aged 42 and residing on Long Lane, Gedney Hill, appeared in court to face the consequences of his actions, which had profound and lasting impacts on his young victim.

During the trial at Peterborough Crown Court, the jury found Edwards guilty of seven counts of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13. The offenses were committed when the girl was under 11 years old. Despite the guilty verdicts, Edwards maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, repeatedly denying any involvement in the abuse. The court was informed that he had sobbed in the dock when the verdicts were read out, indicating a complex emotional response to the case.

Prosecutor Gemma Stokes highlighted the devastating effect of Edwards' actions on the young girl. She explained that the victim believed Edwards' abusive behavior was 'normal' at the time, which contributed to her delay in reporting the abuse. The police had interviewed Edwards in 2014 regarding the allegations, but he denied any wrongdoing during those interviews.

Judge Sean Enright, presiding over the case, emphasized that the evidence presented during the trial was unequivocal. He described the victim as a 'compelling witness' and stated that Edwards' denial did not diminish the strength of the case against him. The judge remarked that the girl had not experienced a typical, healthy childhood due to the abuse inflicted upon her.

Detective Constable Craig Doyle commented on the case, expressing that Edwards subjected his young victim to a 'horrendous ordeal.' He praised the victim for her courage in coming forward and hoped that the sentence would provide some measure of closure for her and her family.

As part of his sentencing, Edwards received an eight-year prison term. Additionally, a restraining order was imposed for ten years, prohibiting him from contacting the victim. The order also restricts Edwards from having any unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 11, except in unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. Furthermore, he is barred from employment that could lead to unsupervised contact with young girls for a decade. Edwards will also be registered on the sex offenders register indefinitely, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.