NATHAN DUNNE SHATTERS FAMILY IN MIDDLEWICH WITH HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE OF 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a deeply disturbing case that has left a community in shock, Nathan Dunne, aged 28, from Powell Drive in Middlewich, was sentenced to four years in prison at Chester Crown Court for the sexual abuse of a seven-year-old girl. The heinous acts took place in May of the previous year, during a gathering at a residence in Winsford, where Dunne had arrived intoxicated.

According to court proceedings, Dunne’s actions were both invasive and traumatic. After his partner left the gathering, Dunne entered the young girl’s bedroom and initially went to sleep on the floor. However, later that night, he climbed into her bed, where he proceeded to remove her pajamas. Despite her protests and pleas for him to stop, Dunne continued his assault, touching her sexually on four separate occasions. The girl, distressed and in pain, repeatedly told him to cease his actions, but he persisted.

During the assault, Dunne also removed his own shorts and twice placed her hand on his penis, further violating her innocence. The young girl called out for her parents, but they were unable to hear her cries. Before leaving her room, Dunne instructed her to keep what had happened a secret, adding a layer of psychological manipulation to his physical abuse. The following morning, after Dunne had left the house, the girl tearfully confided in her mother about the incident, revealing that Dunne had made her “touch his willy.” This disclosure prompted her parents to contact the police, initiating an investigation into the matter.

During the court hearing, a victim impact statement was read aloud by the girl’s father, who expressed the profound effect the incident had inflicted upon their family. He described their heightened protectiveness, stating, “Since the incident, we have become very protective and won’t let her out of our sight. We second-guess every decision we make and punish ourselves for previous decisions. We feel that everyone is a threat and we need to keep her very close. We will struggle to come to terms with the fact that this has happened to our daughter for the rest of our lives. Our world has been completely shattered. It’s a horrific memory that will never leave us. No child should have to go through what she has had to suffer.”

Initially, Dunne denied any memory of the events and contested the charges, although forensic evidence, including traces of his DNA found in the girl’s underwear, contradicted his claims. He ultimately pleaded guilty two months prior to the scheduled trial, acknowledging his guilt.

Judge Simon Berkson sentenced Dunne to two concurrent four-year prison terms, emphasizing the severity of his crimes. In his remarks, the judge stated, “What you did on that night was commit terrible crimes towards the girl. These offences were committed when drunk in the bed of the girl, in her room, in her home where she should have been – and felt – safe. You continued to abuse her when she told you to stop and was shouting for her parents. This offending was out of character but very serious. It is unavoidable but to sentence you to immediate imprisonment.”

Furthermore, Dunne was placed under an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, aimed at protecting the community from any future offenses. The case has left a lasting scar on the community of Middlewich, highlighting the devastating impact of such crimes on innocent victims and their families.