DEAN DUNHILL FROM CHADDESDEN AND DERBY SENT BACK TO PRISON AFTER MOVING TO INGOLDMELLS WITHOUT WARNING

In October 2021, a convicted sex offender named Dean Dunhill faced re-incarceration after he relocated to Ingoldmells, a seaside resort near Skegness, without informing the authorities, violating the conditions of his sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order. Dunhill, who was previously registered as a sex offender, was legally required to notify police of any change in his residence. However, in July of that year, he went missing from his temporary accommodation in Derby, specifically a hotel on Burton Road.

According to reports presented at Lincoln Crown Court, Dunhill was supposed to be residing at this hotel under supervision. When his supervising officer attempted to verify his address and inform him of a permanent placement, Dunhill was nowhere to be found. The officer discovered that Dunhill’s bed had not been slept in, and he was not present in his room. It was clear that Dunhill had failed to notify authorities of his departure from the hotel, which was a breach of his legal obligations.

Subsequently, on August 20, Dunhill was located living in a tent adjacent to a church in Ingoldmells, a popular holiday destination known for its seaside attractions. His arrest followed this discovery. During police interviews, Dunhill admitted that he had encountered significant difficulties living in Derby and had decided to move away. He claimed that it simply “slipped his mind” to inform the police of his change of circumstances, a statement that did little to mitigate his breach of legal requirements.

The court was reminded that Dunhill had been placed on the sex offenders register in 2018 after being convicted of attempting to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. His initial conviction stemmed from online communications with what he believed were 14-year-old girls, to whom he sent explicit photographs of himself. In reality, these were paedophile hunters operating online to catch individuals attempting to contact minors. Since that initial conviction, Dunhill had been convicted on three additional occasions for breaching the conditions of his sex offender registration order.

In January 2020, Dunhill was again convicted, this time for accessing a website designed for children. He was caught using Derbyshire library computers to access Habbo, an online social network predominantly used by teenagers aged 13 to 18. At that time, Dunhill, who was homeless and 32 years old, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating the terms of his previous conviction. His criminal history also includes a 2018 case where he sent explicit images to what he believed were 14-year-old girls, only to discover they were paedophile hunters. Around the same period, he reportedly met and engaged in consensual sexual activity with a 16-year-old girl.

Prosecutor Stuart Lody emphasized that Habbo was a platform aimed at teenagers and could be used to communicate with minors under 16. Dunhill’s use of the site on February 12, without notifying authorities of his activities or his homelessness, constituted a breach of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). Probation reports highlighted that Dunhill was at a “very high risk of sexual recidivism.”

Judge Egbuna sternly warned Dunhill, stating, “Do not use computers to communicate with youngsters.” As part of his sentence, Dunhill was ordered to serve 18 months in prison and will remain on the sex offenders register for an additional eight years, reflecting the seriousness of his repeated violations and ongoing risk to the community.