November 2008 Paedophile sent to jail for three sexual assaults A REGISTERED sex offender has been jailed for 20 months for three offences of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13. Bournemouth Crown Court heard that a police officer on a routine visit to Terence Michael Denham’s flat learned that Denham had befriended a girl. Denham was interviewed by police and admitted he had been alone with the girl under 13. The girl told police her father knew she spent time with Denham, who had also taken her to Poole on occasions and bought her low-value items. Denham, aged 39, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the three charges. Defending, Nicola McIntosh urged judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC not to view the offences as grooming, despite Denham’s previous record. She said Denham pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, had admitted his behaviour was linked to alcohol and he was trying to address these issues. He was asking for help to stop him drinking and to attend a sexual offenders group work programme. Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC said he had to bear in mind Denham’s previous history, when in 1993 he was convicted of two indecent assaults on girls under 14 and in August 2005 he was convicted of similar offences. He said: “Everything points to the fact that had this police officer not paid the visit when he did, more serious allegations would have occurred in the future.” Denham was sentenced to 20 months with each charge to run concurrently. Four orders were also imposed that restrict Denham’s contact with children under the age of 16. The 109 days Denham has served on remand will be deducted from the time he serves.