DEAN LOCKLEY SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON TEENAGE GIRL

A teenage girl believed she faced death when she was forcibly dragged into woodland areas and subjected to an 'unimaginable' sexual assault. Dean Lockley, 30, targeted the girl as she was walking home from school along the Loop Line in Aintree, near Orrell Park, around 4 pm. He restrained her by tying and gagging her—using her own school uniform—before stripping her completely and assaulting her. Despite his actions, Lockley claimed he was 'sorry.' Today, he stated he was too ashamed to attend his sentencing and refused to leave his cell, which delayed the court proceedings.

Lockley's absence meant the sentencing, which was scheduled for the previous day, was postponed until today, when he insisted on being sentenced in his absence. The victim, present with her mother, had to wait as Lockley declined to appear in court.

Defence lawyer Nicola Daley explained, 'He was too ashamed to listen to what he had done again.'

Judge David Aubrey, QC, addressing Lockley's absence, remarked: 'You subjected a girl to the most unimaginable and terrifying ordeal. You gagged her with her own socks, put her shorts in her mouth, tied her hands behind her back. She thought she might die—she was alone, frightened, and scared... What was she thinking at the time? I quote her words: I was thinking I’m going to die. I was just accepting the fact I was going to die.'

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, outlined that Lockley, from the Aintree area, attacked the girl on September 21 last year while she was walking home along an abandoned railway track near Helsby Road. She was with friends initially but parted ways, and to cope with her fears—possibly because she had been followed the week before—she listened to music and talked to friends through her AirPods.

As she neared a bridge on a lonely stretch of track, she sensed someone behind her. Lockley seized her, covering her mouth and neck before pulling her into nearby bushes near a swamp and disused brickworks. Her belongings spilled out, and she sustained injuries from branches and losing her shoes. Lockley then pinned her down on a pillow, shoved a sock into her mouth, and threatened her, saying that if she screamed, he would kill her. He then threw her school bag into the bushes.

The prosecutor said Lockley sexually assaulted the girl and forced her to perform a sex act—despite her not understanding what was asked—before stopping, dressing her, and offering insincere apologies, claiming he wasn't usually like that. He warned her not to tell anyone or scream, or he would kill her. Lockley then ran off after telling her to wait for 20 minutes.

The girl escaped, dressed herself, and ran home, but since her parents were at work, she sought help from a neighbour and reported the assault. Police arrived, and medical examinations revealed multiple abrasions and injuries, with Lockley's DNA found on her neck and underwear, as well as at the scene.

Initially, Lockley denied responsibility but admitted he had been in the area and claimed to have previously engaged in consensual sex there with women. However, the girl identified him during an identification parade, and Lockley, who had no fixed address, pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment, sexual assault, and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The girl now experiences anxiety, panic attacks, and fears going out alone or walking home from school. She said, 'I sometimes wake up panicking, wondering if I’m going to be grabbed, then I realize I’m safe at home.' She also expressed fear that Lockley saw her in her school uniform and might come looking for her at school.

Lockley has no previous convictions for sexual offences but has a record that includes robberies and assaults. His lawyer, Ms. Daley, said he suffers from schizophrenia but was not taking antipsychotic medication—partly because he was struggling with the breakdown of a previous relationship and adoption issues surrounding his daughter. She explained that Lockley considered harming himself during this period. He had been living in a nearby hostel and sleeping in the park; he later claimed not to remember the attack.

Judge Aubrey commented that Lockley had been 'lurking in the area' before ambushing his victim and dragging her to the secluded spot where he instructed her to lie on a pillow. The judge added, 'I'm satisfied that you had planned this grave act.' After the assault, Lockley inquired about her wellbeing and offered false apologies, which the judge described as 'hollow words.'

The court recognized the victim's strength and bravery, with Judge Aubrey stating: 'It can be described as an understatement because I have no doubt that your victim is trying to be brave and trying to repress that which occurred. I have no doubt that it will live with her for the rest of her life.' He emphasized that despite Lockley's mental health issues, he did not accept he couldn't remember his actions and accused him of hiding behind a facade.

Lockley was sentenced to 12 years in prison, with an extended five-year license period, meaning he will serve at least eight years before potential parole consideration. He will only be released early if deemed no longer a risk and must remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.