September 2009 Man ‘with mental age of 10’ jailed for child sex offences A DEVON man who had sexual contact with three underage girls has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. Dean Perry, now 20, of Roundball Close, Honiton, committed a sexual offence with one of the youngsters, after “bombarding” her with text messages, when he was on bail. He pleaded guilty to five offences of sexual activity with a child, who he did not reasonably believe to be over 16, at Exeter Crown Court. The court heard that he had learning difficulties and had been assessed as having the mental age of a child aged nine or 10. Prosecutor Richard Crabb said Perry had consensual sexual contact with three girls, two of whom were 14 and one who was 13, last year. One girl, who was 13 at the time of the incidents, confided in schoolfriends and police were alerted. During her interview, she referred to another girl who had been “friendly” with the defendant. Officers spoke to that girl, aged 14, and she admitted that she had had sexual contact with Perry when she had visited his house. The defendant was arrested and interviewed, then officers this year received further information that he had been involved with a third girl, 14, while on bail. Mr Crabb said: “She met the defendant last year. He began to bombard her with texts, asking for sex and saying “Will you marry me?” “They started to meet, she was 14.” Mr Crabb said the girl and two friends, aged 15, went to the defendant’s house, after he arranged it with her. The court heard that Perry committed a sexual act with the girl in his bedroom, while her friends were in the house and could hear what was happening. It also heard Perry had no criminal record. Defence counsel Robert Duval said his client had had a traumatic childhood and learning difficulties, which meant he did not always think about the consequences of his behaviour. He had slit his wrists while in custody and was likely to be psychologically damaged by being in prison. “He is not a man of sophistication and guile,” said Mr Duval, adding the sexual behaviour had not involved coercion or breach of trust. Mr Duval said the defendant had immediately pleaded guilty. But Judge Stephen Wildblood QC said there was evidence of “grooming” in the way that the defendant coaxed the third girl into a sexual relationship. The judge immediately told Perry that he was going to jail, before explaining how this was calculated. He added the defendant must put his details on the Sex Offender Register and have a Sexual Offences Prevention Order until further notice. Perry will also be banned from working with children, indefinitely. Time spent in custody will be reduced from his sentence and he will serve half the term before being released on licence.