In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Daniel Dey, then 47, of Pansy Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool, was sentenced for brazenly flouting a court order to give donkey rides to children. On Friday, 20 February 2026, Dey appeared at Liverpool Crown Court after being caught working under the alias “Damien Williams.” The court reported that the convicted paedophile had been leading children on donkey walks at popular holiday destinations for approximately three years, despite a lifetime ban on unsupervised contact with minors.
The investigation established that Dey obtained employment with Wirral-based Alwood Donkeys by using a fake name to bypass background checks. Merseyside Police and North Wales Police reported that on 24 July 2025, while giving rides at Presthaven Sands Holiday Park in Gronant, North Wales, a parent recognised Dey from an online article about his 2020 conviction. The prosecution reported that when confronted, the defendant initially attempted to deny his identity, merely stating that the man in the photograph “looked like him.”
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Dey was originally handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) at Shrewsbury Crown Court in December 2020 for making indecent images of children. Liverpool Crown Court heard that this order strictly prohibited him from any unsupervised contact with children or undertaking work that brought him into contact with under-18s. The prosecution reported that Dey conceded in interviews that the parents who trusted him with their children were unaware of his status as a sex offender and that his contact was never approved by authorities.
The judge noted the “brazen” nature of the breach, emphasizing that Dey had successfully manipulated his way into a position of trust for years. For his actions in Kirkdale, Liverpool, and Gronant, North Wales, his employment with the donkey sanctuary was terminated. The judge noted that by helping boys and girls onto the animals and walking with them, Dey had repeatedly placed himself in direct proximity to vulnerable children in clear violation of his statutory requirements.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England and Wales, Daniel Dey was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: (Sentencing outcome as determined by Liverpool Crown Court on 20 February 2026).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements remain in place for life.
- SHPO: Existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order remains active with potential for extension.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for breaching an SHPO.
- Criminal Record: Previous conviction for making indecent images of children in 2020.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dey is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Merseyside Police, North Wales Police, and the National Probation Service. Due to his “calculated and deceptive” use of an alias in Kirkdale, Liverpool, and his targeting of holiday parks, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Dey must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity, including any aliases used, and his residence in Pansy Street, Kirkdale, for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his attempt to hide his identity to work with children necessitates permanent and stringent monitoring of his digital footprint and employment status. Any further breach of his registration conditions or his SHPO will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system.
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