Sex offender Frank Dent jailed for attack on young girl 16 years ago

Frank Dent, 73, of Lancresse Court, De Beauvoir Estate (Photograph: Lancashire Police)

A Hackney man who sexually assaulted a young girl who was on a coach trip with her family in Egypt has been jailed 16 years after committing the offence and eight years after his victim tragically took her life.

Frank Dent, 73, of Lancresse Court on the De Beauvoir Estate, indecently assaulted Kayley Howson in 2000.

She was aged just 10 at the time and was in Egypt on a family holiday to see the pyramids.

Despite the family having reported the assault to police, officers were unable to trace the suspect, and Miss Howson, from Burnley in Lancashire, took her own life eight years after the attack when she was aged 18.

Her mother never stopped searching for her daughter’s attacker, however, and when she saw a man on a TV programme who she thought was him, the case was reopened.

Dent was finally identified and arrested by the Metropolitan Police in February 2016.

He appeared at Burnley Crown Court in August, where he pleaded guilty to a historic offence of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14.

On 26 September he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Burnley Crown Court.

He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and notification requirements for five years.

DC Ben Lyons of Blackburn CID said: “This is a tragic case involving the indecent assault of a young girl, a day before her 11th birthday, while she was supposed to be enjoying a trip on her family holiday.

“It is very sad that Kayley was not able to see Dent being brought to justice for what he did to her over 16 years ago, but I hope this case shows other victims of sexual abuse that we are committed to tackling the perpetrators, regardless of how long ago the offences took place.

“Although the fact that Dent has finally been brought to account for his despicable actions provides Kayley’s family with some form of closure, I am well aware that the outcome at court will in no way compensate Kayley’s family for their very sad loss, and my thoughts remain with them at this time.”