February 2012
Man is jailed for sexually abusing vulnerable girls
SEX offender Dean Howden has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years after abusing two vulnerable young girls.
He cynically tried to change his pleas from guilty to not guilty – and by doing so put the victims under added worry – after blaming his previous legal team for giving him bad advice, a court heard.
Howden, 40, formerly of Grimsby, admitted three offences of indecently assaulting one of the girls.
He also admitted sexual activity with the other girl and sexually assaulting her.
Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Howden committed sexual acts with one of the two girls, who was very vulnerable and troubled, over a period of time after taking advantage of her. He later did the same with the other girl.
The offences all happened in the Grimsby and Cleethorpes areas.
Richard Germain, mitigating, said the offences were serious and so, for that, Howden “must pay the penalty”.
He acted out of character and had no previous convictions.
By pleading guilty, Howden had spared the victims the ordeal of giving evidence to a trial.
Howden, recently living in the Southampton area, was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Howden: “You sexually abused two young and vulnerable girls.”
There were “limited threats” to the first girl and, although some of her behaviour could be regarded as consensual, Howden “exploited” her.
Judge Richardson refused to allow Howden to change his mind about pleading guilty – and rejected most of his claims that he had been given bad advice by his previous defence team, including barrister Andrew Bailey, who was among several people who had to give evidence to a special hearing about the matter.
After the hearing, one of the victims said: “It was the best sentence he could have got. It was the maximum he could have been given for the charges because it was a plea bargain.
“I am just glad it is all over now. It has taken a long time but we got there in the end.
“He is going to be on the sex offenders’ register so I know he is never going to be working with kids.”
