The wife of attempted child abductor Paul Dean has dramatically resigned as a trustee of children's charity the Dream Team.

Her resignation comes as a result of our revelations about her husband's murky past.

Maree Dean worked alongside Paul Dean and other trustees of the Southend-based charity which arranges dream holidays for sick, disabled and terminally ill youngsters.

Yesterday, after taking legal advice from her solicitor, she resigned her position, amid suggestions that her husband is to launch an appeal against his conviction and sentence for attempted child abduction.

Today she refused to comment on her decision.

Paul Dean, 30, of Woodgrange Drive, Southend, was jailed for five years for trying to snatch a young boy from an east London council estate.

It also emerged during the Old Bailey court case that he was put on probation for making obscene telephone calls and sending obscene letters "of a homosexual nature" to two young boys ten years ago.

The revelation that Paul Dean was then able to become involved with a children's charity has sparked outrage and concern.

The news has also left other trustees of the hugely successful Dream Team charity shocked. They now face a huge challenge to rebuild their good name.

In a statement, its staff and trustees said: "We have been stunned by the revelations concerning Paul Dean.

"No-one at the charity's offices, with the obvious exception of Paul's wife Maree, were even aware of the charges or that the case was taking place.

"We are all in disbelief that such events could be under way and that to our knowledge not one official body - including the police - made contact with the charity or its trustees.

"It begs questions of the system that this could indeed be so.

"Following yesterday's revelations, Maree Dean resigned as a trustee and has ceased all involvement with the charity, which will allow her to dedicate her time to her husband's appeal application."

The charity denied Paul Dean was one of its founders - even though the court heard he helped set it up three years ago.

I quit - Maree Dean with her husband Paul

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