Cleveland Police praise 'strength and bravery' of young girl and her family as Hartlepool sex abuser is jailed at Teesside Crown Court

John Dawson, 81, of Owton Manor Lane, Hartlepool, was locked up at Teesside Crown Court on Friday for sickening abuse of a primary school aged girl.

Officers at Cleveland Police’s Children and Vulnerable Adults investigation unit praised the youngster’s strength and bravery for telling her parents and police what Dawson did.

That was despite him instructing her not to say anything.

Sergeant Derric Wade of the unit said: “Thankfully the girl was brave enough to tell her parents straight away, who alerted the police and Dawson was arrested.

“It is down to the strength of the little girl and the support of her parents, in disclosing what had happened, that Dawson was convicted.”

He added: “Her parents were a credit to the investigation, in the calm and measured support they provided to their child when providing graphic details to police officers.

"This enabled officers to obtain strong evidence which in turn led to Dawson pleading guilty.”

Dawson, dubbed “a monster” by the girl’s mother pleaded guilty to three sexual assaults.

The prosecution said it was a “sustained and prolonged incident”.

His lawyer said due to his age and the length of the jail sentence he may spend the rest of his life in prison.

The judge also gave him one year’s extended licence for if he is ever released.

Dawson was also given Sexual Harm Prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register, both indefinitely.