DEAN MOULD FROM WINCHESTER CAUGHT IN DISTURBING ONLINE PREDATION INCIDENT

In April 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Dean Mould, a resident of Winchester, who was caught in a sting operation conducted by a self-styled paedophile hunter. The incident unfolded when Mould, believing he was communicating with a 12-year-old girl, requested explicit photographs from the supposed minor. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually speaking to an individual posing as a young girl, who then forwarded the images to the authorities after informing the police.

Dean Mould, aged 35 and residing on Christchurch Road in Winchester, was subsequently arrested and faced serious charges. He was accused of intentionally inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, as well as breaching a sexual harm prevention order that had previously been imposed on him. Mould had already pleaded guilty to multiple offences prior to this incident.

The court proceedings revealed that Mould had violated the terms of his existing order by failing to disclose the existence of a mobile phone he was using to access the internet. This breach was brought to light during a hearing at Winchester Crown Court, where it was also disclosed that in July of the previous year, Mould had been convicted of four counts of sexual communication with a child, eight counts of possessing indecent and extreme images, and one count of distributing such material. His criminal activities continued into October, with another offence committed on the 27th, although it was not until December 27 that authorities uncovered the full extent of his ongoing misconduct.

Following his July conviction, Mould was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order and a supervision order. Despite these measures, the court heard that he failed to cooperate fully, notably neglecting to inform police about a phone he was using to access the internet. Mould, who is described as being 'marred by learning difficulties,' was also provided with a care plan involving psychiatric support upon his release from custody. However, it was reported that he showed little willingness to engage with the support services offered.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Miller expressed disappointment, stating, 'I hoped when I sentenced you in July of last year that I would not be seeing you again. In fact, you survived only about three months before you are committing offences again.' As a result, Mould was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes 40 days of rehabilitation activities and mandatory participation in a sexual offending treatment programme, aimed at addressing his behaviour and preventing future offences.