PAUL DENNING FROM CHELMSFORD JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING RADIO 1 DJ CHRIS DENNING'S NEPHEW

In a case that has shocked the community of Chelmsford, Paul Denning, a 59-year-old engineer residing on Sawkins Avenue, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sexual assault charges spanning over six years during the 1970s. The allegations involve a young girl, beginning when she was just five years old, with the offences occurring over an extended period, marking a disturbing campaign of abuse.

Denning’s defense argued that his actions and the trauma he endured were directly linked to abuse inflicted upon him by his uncle, the well-known Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Slovakia for child sex offences. The defense attorney, Jonathan Lennon, addressed Chelmsford Crown Court last Thursday, stating, “He was abused by his father’s stepbrother – Chris Denning, the first Radio 1 DJ. It all came to light before the Jimmy Savile affair. It had a devastating effect upon him. He’s moved on and got on with his life but that is now shattered.”

During the hearing, it was highlighted that victims of childhood abuse often face a higher risk of becoming abusers themselves, a pattern that was referenced in the court’s proceedings. The judge described the case as a “campaign of abuse,” emphasizing the prolonged and systematic nature of the offences. It was revealed that Denning began offending at the age of 16, a time when his own sexual boundaries were reportedly blurred due to the abuse he suffered.

Judge Karen Walden-Smith, presiding over the case, acknowledged the complex background of the defendant but emphasized the gravity of his crimes. She stated, “Matters were complicated by the fact that at or around that time you were being abused by your own uncle and your sexual boundaries were blurred considerably.” Despite Denning’s role as a carer for his elderly parents—his mother, aged 90, and his father, aged 88—and his stable relationship, the judge made it clear that the offences were of a very serious nature. “This was a gross abuse and a campaign of abuse,” she declared.

Judge Walden-Smith also recognized that Denning was himself a victim of abuse, but she underscored the devastating impact his actions had on his young victim. “It was a persistent course of sexual offending,” she added, highlighting the long-term harm caused by the offences. The court’s decision reflects the severity of the crimes committed and the importance of holding offenders accountable, regardless of their personal history of victimization.