In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that then 28-year-old Nathan Dunne—of Powell Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire—was jailed for four years for the sexual violation of a seven-year-old girl in her own bed. The investigation established that in May 2018, Dunne attended a house gathering in Winsford, Cheshire, while intoxicated. The prosecution reported at Chester Crown Court that after his partner had left, Dunne entered the girl’s bedroom, removed her pyjamas, and touched her sexually four times while blocking her from leaving the room.
The investigation established that despite the child telling Dunne to stop and informing him she was in pain, he continued his predatory strikes. The prosecution reported that Dunne eventually exposed himself and twice forced the girl’s hand onto his penis. Before returning to sleep on the floor, he instructed the victim to keep the assaults a secret. The girl’s father provided a heartrending statement, describing how their world had been “shattered” and that they now lived in a constant state of fear, feeling that everyone was a threat to their daughter.
JUDICIAL FINDINGS AND SENTENCING
The court reported that Dunne initially claimed he had no memory of the events and denied the charges. However, the investigation established that forensic experts found traces of his DNA in the girl’s underwear, which directly facilitated his prosecution. The prosecution reported that Dunne only changed his plea to guilty two months before the scheduled trial. Judge Simon Berkson condemned the offences, noting they were committed in the one place the child should have felt safe—her own home.
Judge-led proceedings at Chester Crown Court concluded in January 2019. For his actions in Middlewich and Winsford and the nature of the serial child abuse reported, Dunne was sentenced to two concurrent four-year terms of immediate imprisonment. The judge noted that while the behaviour was described as out of character, the gravity of the violation made a custodial sentence unavoidable to ensure public protection and reflect the human rights of the victim.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
Based on the judicial orders and criminal records as of 2019:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault of a child under 13; Causing a child to engage in sexual activity).
- Custodial Status: SERVED (In 2019, sentenced to 4 years; custodial term concluded).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Active INDEFINITELY (Imposing a permanent ban on unsupervised contact with children and strict residency restrictions).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Chester Crown Court; investigated by Cheshire Constabulary.
- Criminal Record: Family friend who raped the trust of a seven-year-old; Targeted the victim in her own bed; Blocked the exit to prevent escape; DNA evidence proved the strikes; Jailed in 2019.
- Origin: Powell Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire.
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
Dunne is managed as a high-risk offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Cheshire. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his “serial” sexual touching and his attempt to silence a seven-year-old—he is a priority for the most intensive post-release supervision. Authorities reported that the 2019 conviction ensures Dunne is permanently flagged on national databases, meaning any attempt to hold a position of trust or work with children in Middlewich, Winsford, or elsewhere will be blocked.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Dunne’s behaviour identifies an individual who prioritised his own depraved gratification over the safety and human rights of a defenceless child. Any failure by Dunne to adhere to his notification requirements or his indefinite restrictive court orders in Middlewich or elsewhere will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who has violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used “Alcohol” as an excuse for his lack of memory, do you believe the law should legally mandate that any sex offender who commits a crime while intoxicated must undergo a mandatory five-year “Sobriety Tag” program upon their release?
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