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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Freckle clue child abuser jailed | Freckle clue child abuser jailed |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A paedophile who was caught out by distinctive freckles on his hand has been jailed for six years. | A paedophile who was caught out by distinctive freckles on his hand has been jailed for six years. |
| Dean Hardy, 50, from Orpington, south-east London, took photos of young girls being sexually abused during a business trip to Thailand. | Dean Hardy, 50, from Orpington, south-east London, took photos of young girls being sexually abused during a business trip to Thailand. |
| A police forensics team found freckles on a male thumb in the photos matched those on Hardy's left hand. | A police forensics team found freckles on a male thumb in the photos matched those on Hardy's left hand. |
| Hardy, who admitted indecent assault and taking indecent photos, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court. | Hardy, who admitted indecent assault and taking indecent photos, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court. |
| The court had been told 63 indecent photos were found on memory cards from Hardy's cameras and his computer hard drive. | The court had been told 63 indecent photos were found on memory cards from Hardy's cameras and his computer hard drive. |
| Judge Gregory Stone said in sentencing the father-of-one had only pleaded guilty after overwhelming evidence it was his hand in the images. | |
| "As many as four children were involved in these crimes," the judge said. | |
| "This was sex tourism of the most offensive kind. | "This was sex tourism of the most offensive kind. |
| Freckles and blemishes on the male thumb were identical to Hardy's | |
| "You were plainly exploiting their and their families' poverty and vulnerability without caring what harm you were inflicting on these children, and caring only for your own depraved gratification." | "You were plainly exploiting their and their families' poverty and vulnerability without caring what harm you were inflicting on these children, and caring only for your own depraved gratification." |
| Two photographs showed South East Asian girls, aged between eight and 10, being abused by an adult. | Two photographs showed South East Asian girls, aged between eight and 10, being abused by an adult. |
| Hardy's face was not in the photographs but a forensic anthropologist found the freckles and blemishes on the male thumb were identical to his. | Hardy's face was not in the photographs but a forensic anthropologist found the freckles and blemishes on the male thumb were identical to his. |
| Prosecuting, Peter Zinner, said the case was "the first of its kind". | Prosecuting, Peter Zinner, said the case was "the first of its kind". |
| Police also found evidence the furniture salesman had travelled to Thailand between March and April 2004, when the pictures were taken. | Police also found evidence the furniture salesman had travelled to Thailand between March and April 2004, when the pictures were taken. |
| Hardy pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a girl under the age of 13, four counts of taking indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing indecent photographs. | Hardy pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a girl under the age of 13, four counts of taking indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing indecent photographs. |
| He will be on the sex offenders' register for life and was also banned from working with children or being in the company of a minor under the age of 16 without the permission of their guardian. | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service also intends to apply for a foreign travel ban to stop Hardy committing further offences abroad. |