Daniel Hedison – Devon

In 2020 Convicted paedophile jailed after secretly befriending family and babysitting their toddler despite child-contact ban

A convicted paedophile from Devon was jailed after secretly befriending a family with a young son and being trusted to babysit the child despite being subject to strict restrictions on his contact with children.

Daniel Hedison, then 32, of Honiton and formerly of Torquay, had previously been convicted of possessing child sexual abuse images and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The order meant Hedison was not permitted to have access to children without disclosing his offending history to their parents and notifying police.

Despite those restrictions, Exeter Crown Court heard he became close to a couple with a toddler son.

The unsuspecting parents allowed Hedison to spend time with the boy and trusted him to babysit on two occasions. They had no knowledge of his previous conviction or the restrictions imposed upon him.

Their son had reportedly grown so comfortable around Hedison that he treated him “like an uncle”.

Hedison’s previous offending involved indecent images of boys aged between four and 13. The court also heard that he had exchanged online fantasies concerning the sexual abuse of babies and young boys.

In September 2015, he received an eight-month suspended prison sentence after being convicted of seven counts of making indecent images of children. The SHPO was imposed as part of that case.

His breaches came to light after he was spotted with the toddler at a football match. A volunteer who subsequently discovered Hedison’s background online raised the alarm.

Police were called on October 10 after Hedison had been seen playing with the child inside the football clubhouse.

The boy’s parents were horrified when they discovered the truth about the man they had allowed into their family life. The child’s mother was reportedly so distressed by the revelation that she required treatment for anxiety.

Hedison admitted four breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Peter Johnson highlighted the significance of Hedison having previously told police that he had a considerable sexual interest in young males, saying the child’s parents would have prevented any further contact had they known about his background.

The judge ruled the breaches were too serious for another suspended sentence.

Hedison was jailed for 14 months.

The case demonstrates why disclosure schemes and restrictions imposed on convicted sexual offenders can be crucial. The parents had trusted Hedison with their toddler without knowing the information that would have allowed them to make an informed decision about their child’s safety.

Sarah’s Law: Parents, carers and guardians who are concerned about someone with access to a child can ask police whether that person has a known history that may indicate they pose a risk of sexual harm through the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme.