Police have announced that they will be investigating the missed opportunities to catch the man who has become known as Britain’s equivalent of Josef Fritzl,
Teesside Crown Court were told this week that Michael Dunn raped and abused four girls over several years in locations around the country and was convicted of 10 rapes, false imprisonment and indecent assault.
He would use a bag of dust and a panel to camouflage the hole behind the fridge where one girl was kept, concealing her from police on eight or nine occasions, the court heard.
The jury was told he imprisoned a second female victim, subjecting her to repeated violence, and filled his house with cameras, locks and alarms.
It is believed that Dunn kept the girl in a house in Mottram near Hyde in Tameside.
Accirding to the Manchester Evening News, Dunn’s secret hidey hole iwas behind a fridge, guarded by German shepherd dogs, and camouflaged with a bag of dust and a false wall.
GMP’s Assistant Chief Constable, Catherine Hankinson, said: “Reports made during the trial of Michael Dunn are very concerning and we are doing everything we can to get to the bottom of this.
“We have already begun reviewing our records, however this will take time but there is now a dedicated team looking into it as a priority.
“The contact would have happened over 20 years ago and a lot of our records are paper files which will need to be physically searched through.
“The case was investigated by Cleveland Police and we are working with colleagues there, as well as Tameside Council, to urgently understand what information is held about any previous contact with Michael Dunn and victims.
“Once we have all the information we will decide what further action needs to be taken. In the meantime, we are voluntarily referring ourselves to the IPCC.
“I think it is important to stress that in recent years GMP has been dedicated to improving the way we deal with victim support and investigations into sexual offences.
“As a result Greater Manchester has become a nationally recognised model of good practice and we hope those affected by sexual offences will continue to feel comfortable coming forward to us.
“My thoughts are with the victims and I would like to commend them for their bravery and we will do all we can to get them the answers they deserve.”
