In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that 28-year-old Nathan Dunne was jailed for four years after sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl in her own bed. Dunne—of Powell Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire—was a family friend who attended a gathering at a house in Winsford in May 2018. It was reported that after his partner left the property, a heavily intoxicated Dunne entered the girl’s bedroom, climbed into her bed, and subjected her to a series of sexual assaults despite her repeatedly telling him to stop and crying out for her parents.
The investigation established that Dunne used his physical presence to block the child from leaving the room after removing her pyjamas. Chester Crown Court heard that the defendant touched the girl sexually four times and twice forced her to touch his penis. The prosecution reported that before returning to sleep on the floor, Dunne told the victim to keep the attack a secret, though the girl bravely informed her mother the following morning that he had made her ‘touch his willy’, leading to an immediate report to the police.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the family’s lives had been shattered by the betrayal of a man they considered a friend. Chester Crown Court heard that Dunne initially claimed he had no memory of the night and denied the charges until forensic evidence proved otherwise. The investigation established that traces of Dunne’s DNA were found in the girl’s underwear, which eventually forced him to enter a guilty plea two months before his trial was scheduled to begin.
His Honour Judge Simon Berkson presided over the sentencing on 21 January 2019, handing Dunne two concurrent four-year sentences. For his actions in Middlewich and Winsford, Dunne was removed from the community to serve his term. The judge noted that the offences were particularly heinous as they were committed in the one place the child should have felt entirely safe—her own bed—and continued even after the victim expressed she was in pain and shouted for help.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Cheshire, the status of Nathan Dunne as of April 4, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Served 4-year term; sentenced 2019; released on licence circa 2021).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for life.
- Licence Status: Subject to post-release supervision in the Middlewich area.
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault of a child under 13; 2 counts total).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Chester Crown Court; investigated by Cheshire Police.
- Criminal Record: Sexual assault of a 7-year-old; Forcing a minor to touch his genitals; DNA match in victim’s clothing.
- Origin: Powell Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire; offences in Winsford.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dunne is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the Middlewich and Winsford area following his release. Due to the nature of his conduct—which involved the predatory targeting of a friend’s daughter and the use of intoxication as a precursor to violence—his management is a maximum priority for the Cheshire MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) team. Authorities state that his attempt to silence the victim after the attack indicates a calculated level of grooming and manipulation.
As a registered sex offender for life, the 28-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his notification requirements ensure he must inform police of his address and any intended travel. Any failure to notify police of his movements in Cheshire, any attempt to contact the victim’s family, or any unauthorized proximity to children will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from his demonstrated pattern of predatory sexual violence against minors.
QUESTION – Given that the offender blocked the child’s exit and continued the assault while she was in pain, do you believe that “Aggravated Kidnapping” charges should be automatically added to sexual assault cases where a victim is prevented from leaving a room?
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