Wigan man jailed for 14 years after sexually assaulting girl and sending indecent images

His brave victim, who is now 16 years old, has been praised by investigators for her efforts in bringing 54-year-old Michael Dennett to justice.

He targeted the schoolgirl between 2017 and 2018, when she was just 12 and 13 years old.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Dennett, of Poolstock Lane, started messaging the girl after the breakdown of his relationship.

He began a persistent campaign of sexually-motivated crime – sending her indecent images and asking her to send them in return.

His victim spoke of wanting him to “leave her alone” when he tried to hug and kiss her, but she helplessly “felt like she couldn’t say no” as he also would inappropriately touch her.

The girl’s mother found sexual messages on her phone from Dennett and reported it to the police, before the victim revealed the sexual assaults.

Dennett was initially arrested for the communication in November 2018 and interviewed in February and November 2019, as inquiries continued and forensic evidence was collated.

When interviewed in November 2018, he refused to comment when asked about some of the messages he had sent.

As inquiries by Greater Manchester Police’s Wigan child sexual exploitation team continued, the victim reported a new allegation and Dennett was arrested for a second time. He did not admit any offences and suggested the victim had been “put up to this”.

Due to the detail of evidence the victim provided, police charged Dennett with nine offences - three counts of sexual assault of a child, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual communication with a child.

He was found guilty after a trial in February 2020 of the communication offence, before being convicted of the remainder of the offences in a re-trial earlier this month.

Dennett has now been jailed for 14 years, ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and given a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.

The survivor of Dennett's abuse has received ongoing specialist support throughout the case and was praised for the evidence she was able to provide to police and the courts to help bring Dennett to justice.

PC Vicki Flemming, from the Wigan child sexual exploitation team, said: "I want to firstly pay tribute to the survivor of this campaign of sexual abuse for their bravery in not only helping to report this incident to us, but for also having the courage to give evidence in court that was key to the success of this case.

"Michael Dennett's offending was predatory and repulsive and it's clear that he was a clear danger to this child and deserves his place behind bars for a number of years to come.

"We are committed to bringing to justice any sex offenders - especially those who target children as a way of gratifying their own depraved and perverted desires - and I want any victim of such abuse to know that we are here to listen to your concerns and to take thorough and robust action to bring offenders to justice."