'The victim was vulnerable': Violent sex offender attacked Leeds sex worker and knocked out her front teeth

John Dillon knocked out two of the victim's front teeth when he flew into a rage and attacked her at his home in Armley.

Leeds Crown Court heard the 31-year-old woman had been a sex worker for 18 months and would visit Dillon at his home.

Anna Bond, prosecuting, said Dillon and the woman became friends over a nine-month period before the incident.

Ms Bond said the attack happened on January 7 this year after Dillon gave the woman money to buy crack cocaine.

She took the drug and returned to his home where he was with two other women drinking vodka.

The 65-year-old threatened the woman then attacked her when she went to pour herself a drink.

He grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the mouth, causing two teeth to be dislodged.

Police were contacted and Dillon, who was on licence, was arrested and recalled to prison.

The woman had to have the two damaged teeth removed.

She provided a statement describing how she felt upset at being left disfigured.

Dillon, of Church Street, Armley, was interviewed about the attack and told officers he was "mortified" at what he had done.

He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Ms Bond said: "The victim was vulnerable owing to the fact that she was a female sex worker in the defendant's home."

Dillon has previous convictions for sexual assaults on girls.

Julian White, mitigating, said Dillon has a parole board hearing in June and his latest offence is likely to have an impact upon when he is eventually released.

Mr White said Dillon was sorry for the injuries he had caused the victim, saying: "He knows he should not have punched her in the mouth and that remorse in genuine."

Sentencing, Judge Simon Phillips QC said: "This was a vulnerable victim. A female sex worker in your home under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time."

In 2014, Dillion had a bid for freedom turned down by judges at one of Europe’s highest courts.

He was serving a sentence for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl while out on licence for indecently assaulting other girls.

Dillon had been ordered to serve at least four years in prison in April 2007.

He took a legal challenge to the European Court of Human Rights arguing that his continued detention was unlawful.

The inmate claimed poor organisation of prison courses meant he could not demonstrate that he posed less risk.

Dillon completed the core Sex Offenders Treatment Programme (SOTP) in 2009 but prison authorities concluded that he was insufficiently motivated to undertake an extended course.

The inmate complained that the only way that he could address the risk he presented to the public was by completing an extended SOTP, but his access to this course had been delayed.

The judges rejected his claim.