Senior police officer accused of raping a child – as it’s revealed talks about sexting at schools

A senior member of the New South Wales Police force has been charged with child sex offences allegedly spanning more than a decade. 

Senior Constable Dean Perkins, 43, was arrested on Thursday, accused of twice having sex with a child aged between 10 and 14 years old.

He is also charged with trying to have sex with a child under the age of 10, grooming a child for sex, two counts of aggravated indecent assault and other child sex offences.

The charges relate to a number of accusations made against the officer during his time serving in Western Sydney between 2007 and 2018.

Before his suspension from the police, Perkins was an officer in the NSW Police specialist youth command.

He would regularly give educational talks on cyber safety and bullying to students at schools in Sydney’s west and south-east.

According to the website of one of the schools he visited, the officer gave a speech on ‘sexting’ among other topics.

The senior member of the police force was listed as the police liaison officer for the NSW Department of Education and would frequently give safety talks at Sydney schools

Perkins is listed as the police liaison officer for the NSW Department of Education and Communities Anti-Bullying Plan.

He has been suspended from a police specialist command and as been refused bail.

He is due to appear at Penrith Local Court on Friday.

New South Wales Police said in a statement: ‘The current matters before the court are not related to the officer’s employment.’