July 2010 Steven Dadd branded “a significant risk” A SERIAL sex attacker has been jailed indefinitely after his wife’s dictaphone accidentally recorded him raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl. Steven Dadd was last night branded “a significant risk” by the judge, who told him: “The public has to be protected from you.” Elaine Dadd left a dictaphone in a dressing gown pocket, and it recorded her husband having sex with a teenager at their marital home in east Cleveland. Mrs Dadd was preparing to return to work, realised the machine had been activated, listened to the recording and discovered what had happened. Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that Mrs Dadd was physically sick when she heard the recording, and reported her husband to Cleveland Police. When he was interviewed, the convicted rapist made no reply, but in letters he later sent from prison, he said he would admit having sex with the girl, but denied forcing her. Judge George Moorhouse yesterday cleared the courtroom so he could listen to the recording, in which the girl repeatedly pleads with Dadd to stop his assault. He told Dadd: “You have been in trouble many times in the past. This is an extremely serious offence which fully justifies a lengthy custodial sentence. “I have read the report about you and I am quite satisfied that you present a significant risk of further harm to members of the public, especially females.” The court heard that Dadd – also known as Addison – was jailed for four years in 1979 for raping a 16-year-old he picked up in his car and drove to an isolated place. In 1983, he received six months for another serious sexual offence, and in 1990, was jailed for seven years and nine months for the attempted rape of an eight year- old. Dadd was jailed for 14 years in 1996 for false imprisonment and grievous bodily harm after he drove a prostitute to wasteland and attacked her. Christopher Knox, mitigating, said Dadd had accepted an indefinite sentence because of his record, but should be given credit for sparing his victim the ordeal of giving evidence. Judge Moorhouse ordered that Dadd should serve at least five years in prison before he is considered for release, but he will be freed only when he is no longer considered to be a danger. He will also have to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life, and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from having unsupervised contact with under-16s was also made. Dadd, previously of Glaisdale Avenue, Redcar, pleaded guilty to one charge of rape, committed in February of last year.