Third woman in court on paedophile charges

A woman appeared in court today charged with child sex offences following the investigation into paedophiles Vanessa George and Colin Blanchard.

Tracy Dawber, 43, from Guildford Road, Southport, was charged as a result of an alleged link to Blanchard, 38, a former IT salesman.

She faces four counts of possessing indecent images of children; five counts of permitting indecent images of children to be made; one charge of sexual assault on a child under 13; and a further count of facilitating the sexual assault of a child.

She appeared before South Sefton magistrates sitting in Bootle this morning.

In a case which sparked massive public outrage, Blanchard admitted a string of child abuse offences at Bristol Crown Court last month alongside nursery worker George and Angela Allen, both 39.

Police said the charges against Dawber were not linked to the Little Ted's Nursery in Plymouth, Devon, where George worked.

Social worker Dawber pleaded not guilty to all the charges against her during the hearing.

Dawber, who wore a long black jumper and clutched her side throughout the hearing, was refused bail.

Chairman of the bench David Dixon declined jurisdiction and the trial will be held at crown court.

Dawber will appear by video link at the court in Bootle on November 24 where a committal hearing will be held.

A section 39 order under the Children and Young Persons Act was made banning anything identifying children involved in the case.