Police officer accused of sexually assaulting six-year-old girl while on duty

Former Army reservist was arrested on New Year’s Eve

The Greater Manchester Police officer has been remanded in custody (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A police officer has been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl while on duty.

Pc Dean Dempster, from Greater Manchester Police, is alleged to have sexually touched the child while on duty in Oldham on 29 December.

The 34-year-old, of Langford Road, Manchester, a former Army reservist who joined GMP in 2021 after serving as a special constable and ambulance service paramedic, was arrested on New Year’s Eve.

He has been charged with two offences – one of assault of the girl by sexual touching and a second of misconduct in a public office due to the alleged assault being committed while on duty.

He was held in custody and appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court for a brief hearing before District Judge Jane Hamilton on Tuesday.

He was not asked to enter any plea at the hearing.

Saeed Hafezi, defending, applied for bail for the defendant, which was opposed by Crown Prosecution Service lawyers.

Dempster grimaced as the judge refused him bail, and looked towards the public gallery where his partner and his mother were sitting as he was taken back down to the cells.

He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on January 16.

A spokesman for GMP said Dempster has been suspended from duty and misconduct proceedings will resume upon the conclusion of criminal proceedings.