St Albans man found guilty of historic child sex offences
Eighty-year-old Anthony Dear, repeatedly assaulted a single victim over a four-year period
Last updated 27th Feb 2023
A St Albans man has been convicted at crown court in relation to a string of historic child sex offences.
Eighty-year-old Anthony Dear, also known as ‘Danny’ was found guilty of 23 counts of rape and sexual assault following a trial at St Albans Crown Court.
They related to one female victim who was repeatedly assaulted by Dear over a four-year period, when she was aged between 11 and 15.
He is due to be sentenced on Monday 23 June.
Dear, previously of Ladies Grove, was previously jailed for six and half years in January 2022, having been convicted of similar offences against a second girl.
Detective Sergeant Larissa Nightingale, who led the investigation, said: “It is very clear that Dear is a danger to children and I’m pleased that a guilty verdict has been returned on every count.
“I’d like to commend the victim for the bravery and resilience she has shown throughout the investigation and trial. I hope the result will give her some sense of justice and closure.”
She continued: “I also hope this case reassures people that we take all reports of sexual assault seriously, no matter how long ago the offence(s) occurred. We have specially trained officers on hand to provide support and guidance and will always do whatever we can to gather the necessary evidence to build the strongest case possible.
“I would encourage any other victims to come forward, if they feel ready to. We will listen.”
If you do not feel comfortable reporting to police straight away, the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) can provide practical and emotional support. The centre can arrange face-to-face support, sexual health referrals, and provide medical examinations.
You can report information to police online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.