Watford paedophile jailed for sex abuse

An elderly paedophile from Watford who sexually abused four girls following the death of his wife received a 10 year sentence today (Friday) Church-going John Dearlove, 80, was jailed for five and a half years, but was given an extended sentence of a further four and a half years because of the risk he poses to children. Prosecutor Peter Shaw told St Albans crown court that over a two and a half year period, from 2008 to 2011, he abused one girl when she was aged between nine and 11. On four or five occasions he kissed her on the lips and he touched her breasts eight or nine times. As a result of the abuse the girl said she had self-harmed.A 16 year old girl said on one occasion at a church in February last year she was touched on the bottom by Dearlove, who also looked down her top. Another girl was abused, between the ages of eight or nine and 11, when Dearlove touched her chest on around 10 occasions and once put his hand down her trousers. As a result of Dearlove’s actions the girl suffers nightmares, said Mr Shaw. The fourth victim, who was aged 11 or 12, said she was kissed by the pensioner who put his hand down her top. Dearlove of Grandfield Avenue was arrested on September 14 last year after complaints were made earlier in the year. He initially denied the offences, but later pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault of a child aged under 13 and one of sexual assault of a girl. David Smithet, defending, said Dearlove was a diabetic who had suffered a stroke at the beginning of the year. He said his wife of 40 years had died in 1999. “Through his own fault he has lost everything. He accepts his behaviour was unacceptable and criminal,” he said. Judge Stephen Gullick said that he had read a probation report on Dearlove which stated that he did not “exhibit an understanding” of his offending. He said he was passing an extended sentence because he remained a significant risk to children under 16. Dearlove will remain on the Sex Offender Register for life and must abide by the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from having unsupervised contact with children for the next 10 years.