JAMES DEAN FROM TORPOINT SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEX CRIMES IN PLYMOUTH
| Red Rose Database
Torpoint Rapist
In December 2014, James Dean, a resident of Torpoint, was released from custody and has since returned to live in his hometown. His criminal history, however, remains a dark chapter marked by heinous acts committed years earlier.
Back in January 2007, Dean was the subject of widespread outrage and condemnation after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl. The court sentenced him to an indeterminate sentence for public protection, a punishment that could potentially keep him incarcerated for the rest of his life. The verdict was met with cheers from the public gallery, reflecting the community's outrage and desire for justice. The father of the young victim expressed his intense feelings, stating, “He can rot in hell as far as we are concerned. I hope he is never released.”
The court heard that Dean committed his assault while the child's regular babysitter was away, leaving the young girl vulnerable. The case was particularly notable because the victim was among the youngest children ever to give evidence in a British court. The girl, clutching a large brown-and-white teddy bear and wearing a pink bow in her hair, provided her testimony via a video link in a hushed courtroom. To help her reach the camera, she sat on extra cushions, emphasizing her small stature. Her evidence was delivered with a level of composure that belied her age, and she was seen sucking her thumb as she answered questions.
During the trial, the court was told that Dean raped the girl in July 2005, an act reportedly driven by frustration after his girlfriend refused to have sex with him. The young girl later confided in her mother about what had happened. Her father expressed his relief at the verdict, saying, “We are over the moon with the verdicts. He can rot in hell as far as we are concerned. I could not bear to stay in court when my little girl was giving evidence. It was too horrible to see her put through it all again.”
Dean’s defense team sought to challenge the credibility of the young witness by requesting psychological assessments to determine her maturity and ability to testify. Initially, one expert deemed her a suitable witness, but the defense insisted on a second opinion, which also confirmed her credibility. Her court testimony included a videotaped police interview where she stated, “James has been naughty. He has been rude... I told him to stop and he said, ‘No’.”
In court, Dean’s barrister cross-examined the girl, asking, “This didn’t actually happen, did it?” to which she responded firmly, “Did.” The case further revealed that Dean had committed additional sexual offenses, including forcing a nine-year-old to perform a sex act in an alleyway and performing a similar act in front of a seven-year-old girl.
Judge Francis Gilbert, presiding over Plymouth Crown Court, described Dean as a “very dangerous young man” and sentenced him to seven years for the rape, to run consecutively with a three-year sentence for inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, Dean received a two-year sentence for a second count of inciting a child under 13, which was to run concurrently, and an 18-month sentence for sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl, also concurrent. He also asked for another offense involving a girl under 16 to be taken into account.
The judge emphasized the severity of Dean’s crimes, stating, “You have been convicted of raping a child only three years old. What mental or psychological damage you have done to her will not be known for quite some time. I consider you to be an extremely dangerous young man. For each count, you will go to prison for an indefinite period, which could be the whole of your life, until the Home Office considers you eligible for release.”
Having already served ten months in custody, Dean will be eligible for parole in four years and two months, raising concerns about the potential risk he still poses to society. His case remains a stark reminder of the devastating impact of such crimes on innocent victims and the importance of stringent justice for the most vulnerable members of the community.
Back in January 2007, Dean was the subject of widespread outrage and condemnation after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl. The court sentenced him to an indeterminate sentence for public protection, a punishment that could potentially keep him incarcerated for the rest of his life. The verdict was met with cheers from the public gallery, reflecting the community's outrage and desire for justice. The father of the young victim expressed his intense feelings, stating, “He can rot in hell as far as we are concerned. I hope he is never released.”
The court heard that Dean committed his assault while the child's regular babysitter was away, leaving the young girl vulnerable. The case was particularly notable because the victim was among the youngest children ever to give evidence in a British court. The girl, clutching a large brown-and-white teddy bear and wearing a pink bow in her hair, provided her testimony via a video link in a hushed courtroom. To help her reach the camera, she sat on extra cushions, emphasizing her small stature. Her evidence was delivered with a level of composure that belied her age, and she was seen sucking her thumb as she answered questions.
During the trial, the court was told that Dean raped the girl in July 2005, an act reportedly driven by frustration after his girlfriend refused to have sex with him. The young girl later confided in her mother about what had happened. Her father expressed his relief at the verdict, saying, “We are over the moon with the verdicts. He can rot in hell as far as we are concerned. I could not bear to stay in court when my little girl was giving evidence. It was too horrible to see her put through it all again.”
Dean’s defense team sought to challenge the credibility of the young witness by requesting psychological assessments to determine her maturity and ability to testify. Initially, one expert deemed her a suitable witness, but the defense insisted on a second opinion, which also confirmed her credibility. Her court testimony included a videotaped police interview where she stated, “James has been naughty. He has been rude... I told him to stop and he said, ‘No’.”
In court, Dean’s barrister cross-examined the girl, asking, “This didn’t actually happen, did it?” to which she responded firmly, “Did.” The case further revealed that Dean had committed additional sexual offenses, including forcing a nine-year-old to perform a sex act in an alleyway and performing a similar act in front of a seven-year-old girl.
Judge Francis Gilbert, presiding over Plymouth Crown Court, described Dean as a “very dangerous young man” and sentenced him to seven years for the rape, to run consecutively with a three-year sentence for inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, Dean received a two-year sentence for a second count of inciting a child under 13, which was to run concurrently, and an 18-month sentence for sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl, also concurrent. He also asked for another offense involving a girl under 16 to be taken into account.
The judge emphasized the severity of Dean’s crimes, stating, “You have been convicted of raping a child only three years old. What mental or psychological damage you have done to her will not be known for quite some time. I consider you to be an extremely dangerous young man. For each count, you will go to prison for an indefinite period, which could be the whole of your life, until the Home Office considers you eligible for release.”
Having already served ten months in custody, Dean will be eligible for parole in four years and two months, raising concerns about the potential risk he still poses to society. His case remains a stark reminder of the devastating impact of such crimes on innocent victims and the importance of stringent justice for the most vulnerable members of the community.