A convicted child rapist and sex offender has been jailed for a second time.
Dean Gathercole, who is already serving a jail sentence for abusing teenagers in the late 1980s, was convicted in February this year of sexually assaulting another girl in his care.
The case relates to his time as assistant manager of another children’s home in Carlton, when Gathercole, now aged 58, assaulted a girl during an overnight trip to a holiday park.
The trip had been laid on as a reward for good behaviour but was instead used by Gathercole to groom and abuse his young victim.
A jury at Nottingham Crown Court heard how Garthercole first assaulted the teenager in a swimming pool, and later in a cabin at the park.
The victim, now in her 40s, had remained silent about what happened to her but approached Nottinghamshire Police after learning of Gathercole’s other offending.
The case was then taken up by a specialist team of officers investigating claims of historical sexual abuse at Nottinghamshire Children’s homes.
Gathercole was later charged and convicted of three counts of sexual assault. Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) he was jailed for four years.
The sentence will run concurrent to an existing jail term of 17 years after he was found guilty in 2018 of three counts of rape, and six counts of indecent assault against two other victims.
Detective Constable Stephen Dunn, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Gathercole was entrusted to look after vulnerable young people who looked to him for guidance and support.
“Instead of helping this child through a very challenging period of her life, he chose instead to groom and abuse her for his own sexual gratification.
“His behaviour was simply unforgivable, and I am pleased that he has now been held accountable for these appalling crimes.
“Above all I am pleased for his victim, who has shown enormous courage and determination in coming forward and revealing what happened to her all those years ago.
“Gathercole may already have been serving a lengthy and well-deserved prison sentence, but we were absolutely determined in this case to get justice for all of his victims.
“Offences of this nature can have a life-long impact on people and we ask anyone who has experienced such crimes to get in contact with us so we can help them.”
