JAMES DUNN FROM HEMLINGTON SENTENCED FOR RAPE NEAR ORMESBY HALL

In August 2011, a man named James Edward Dunn, aged 28, from Elmhurst Gardens in Hemlington, was sentenced to seven years in prison for a brutal sexual assault that took place near Ormesby Hall, close to Middlesbrough. The incident involved a teenage girl whom Dunn had lured through social media, specifically Facebook, under false pretenses.

According to court reports, Dunn, who was already registered as a sex offender due to a previous attack on a woman, targeted a 16-year-old girl he met online. He convinced her to meet him in person, and the meeting was arranged close to Ormesby Hall. When the girl arrived, she quickly realized that Dunn was intoxicated, which caused her to want to leave immediately. Despite her attempts to escape, Dunn forcibly dragged her into nearby woods, where the assault occurred.

The prosecution, led by Aisha Wadoodi, detailed that the girl was screaming and struggling to get away during the attack, which lasted approximately 20 minutes. During this ordeal, Dunn raped her, and it was reported that he threatened her with death if she disclosed what had happened. This chilling warning was meant to silence her and prevent her from seeking help.

Further investigations revealed that Dunn had a history of predatory behavior on social media. Several months prior to this incident, he had arranged a date with a 15-year-old girl he had also met on Facebook. On that occasion, he engaged in sexual touching over her clothes after purchasing two liters of Lambrini and taking her to a churchyard. It was also uncovered that Dunn had been falsely claiming to be as young as 19 in his Facebook communications with young girls, a deception he had maintained for over five years.

Despite denying the rape charge during the trial in August, Dunn was found guilty by a jury at Teesside Crown Court in June. Following his conviction, he was remanded in custody while awaiting a psychiatric report to assess his mental state. The court's decision underscores the severity of his actions and the danger posed by his predatory behavior, especially given his prior offenses and manipulative tactics on social media.