WATFORD PAEDOPHILE JOHN DEARLOVE SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR ABUSING CHILDREN

In a case that has shocked the community of Watford, an 80-year-old man with a history of church involvement was convicted of multiple sexual offenses against young girls and subsequently sentenced to a decade behind bars. The court heard harrowing details of the abuse inflicted by John Dearlove, whose actions have left lasting scars on his victims.

John Dearlove, a resident of Grandfield Avenue in Watford, Hertfordshire, was found guilty of abusing four young girls over a period of several years. The youngest victim was only eight years old at the time of her assault, a fact that deeply disturbed the court and underscored the severity of his crimes. The sentencing took place at St Albans Crown Court, where Judge Stephen Gullick presided over the case.

According to the court proceedings, Dearlove was initially charged with multiple counts of sexual assault. Prosecutor Peter Shaw detailed that between 2008 and 2011, Dearlove sexually abused one girl aged between nine and eleven. The trauma from these assaults was so severe that the victim resorted to self-harm as a coping mechanism. The court also heard about another incident in February of the previous year, where a 16-year-old girl reported that Dearlove had touched her on the bottom during a church gathering and had looked down her top, actions that caused her significant distress.

Further testimonies revealed that Dearlove had touched another girl’s chest on approximately ten occasions. On one of these occasions, he went further by placing his hand down her trousers. The impact of these assaults was evident, as the girl now suffers from nightmares, according to the prosecutor. A fourth victim, aged around 11 or 12, recounted that Dearlove had kissed her and placed his hand down her top, adding to the pattern of predatory behavior.

Dearlove was arrested on September 14 of the previous year. Initially denying the allegations, he later pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of sexual assault of a girl. His defense lawyer, David Smithet, described Dearlove as a widower since his wife of 40 years passed away in 1999, and noted that he suffers from diabetes and had experienced a stroke. Smithet acknowledged that Dearlove accepted his behavior was unacceptable and criminal.

Judge Gullick emphasized that a probation report indicated Dearlove lacked an understanding of the gravity of his offenses. Due to the serious risk he posed to children under 16, the court imposed an extended sentence of 10 years. Additionally, Dearlove will remain on the sex offenders register for life and is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with children for the next decade, reflecting the court’s concern for public safety and the protection of vulnerable minors.