GEORGE DENT OF MORECAMBE JAILED FOR RAPE OF 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN 2007

In March 2007, George Dent, a 64-year-old man from Morecambe, was sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a young girl. Dent, a known paedophile, had lured children to his basement flat on Marine Road West, claiming he needed their help feeding his pets. The court heard that he later raped a 10-year-old girl at his home.

Judge Christopher Cornwall ordered that Dent would only be released once he was no longer deemed a threat to children, describing the case as a “classic grooming” scenario intended to facilitate sexual assaults. Preston Crown Court was informed that police in Morecambe had grown increasingly concerned after reports of children frequently visiting Dent’s flat.

Prosecutor Mr. Jeremy Lasker explained, “Dent was allowing children to visit under the guise of feeding his pet rabbits and birds.” It was revealed that, as early as 1984, Dent had a criminal record for unlawful sexual activity with an underage girl. Follow-up reports from neighbors indicated that children were spending long hours around his flat.

Police initially visited Dent and warned him about his inappropriate behavior, with officers also speaking to the children’s parents. Despite these warnings, it became clear that children continued to visit Dent’s flat. In May of the previous year, police secured an interim Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning Dent from having any unsupervised contact with minors.

However, suspicion continued, and in July, a mother visited Dent’s flat, suspecting his intentions. Her daughter, who later disclosed she had been touched and raped by Dent the previous year, was present during the visit.

Dent pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. He was sentenced to an indefinite term in prison and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. Judge Cornwall stated that Dent would not be eligible for parole until he had served at least four years, accounting for time already spent on remand. The judge emphasized that this minimum period did not guarantee release, as Dent would be freed only if considered no longer a danger.

Addressing Dent directly, Judge Cornwall commented, “This was a classic case of grooming a young child, gaining her trust—such grotesque conduct and the serious psychological harm caused are clear. You are currently regarded as a significant risk to young girls.”

In mitigation, defense lawyer Mr. Peter Horgan explained that Dent had found it difficult to admit his actions but had eventually pleaded guilty before trial. Mr. Horgan added that Dent was described as a lonely man.