'Please lock me up' paedophile could be out in two years

A DANGEROUS paedophile could be back on the streets in only two years time despite begging a judge to lock him up indefinitely.

Denis Lane, 67, who admits he is a danger to young girls, pleaded with Judge Peter Benson at Bradford Crown Court yesterday to be given an indefinite sentence of imprisonment after his third breach of a sexual offences prevention order

The judge sentenced Lane to four years in prison for the breach of his order, but the jail term will run concurrently to his existing sentence – meaning he will be released in just over two years time.

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Judge Benson said the defendant recognised that he presented a danger to young girls and that what Lane called "the demons he could not control" may drive him to reoffend in the way he had done in 1996.

Afterwards, Det Sgt Linda Christie said: "Denis Lane is a predatory and dangerous sex offender who has now been removed from our streets."

But Coun Ralph Berry, Bradford Council's Children's Services and Education portfolio holder, said he was "extremely concerned" at the apparent loophole in the law.

He said: "We should not be naive about the possibilities of rehabilitation for someone who has that kind of track record. We can't have that in the community."

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In 1996 Lane was jailed for 10 years at Luton Crown Court for having sex with an 11-year-old girl and indecently assaulting three other youngsters.

He was released in December 2003 but just 15 days later he was recalled after he was found to be in possession pictures of children taken from magazines.

The judge heard Lane breached the order in 2006 and 2007 when he was again found in possession of magazine cut-outs of children.

Lane was sentenced to another three years in jail for the 2007 breach, but having been let out again he was recalled in October this year after staff at a hostel in Bradford, discovered five images of children under 10 in an envelope in his room.