Dean was the late husband of Michelle Connor and the biological father of Alex Neeson. Following an error at Weatherfield General, their son was inadvertently mixed up with another baby and the couple took Ryan Connor home believing him to be their son.
In 2001, Dean was killed in a car crash which was caused by Michelle's eldest brother Paul. However Paul enlisted the help of younger brother Liam to cover for him by placing Dean in the driving seat, so that it was believed that he was to blame for the accident and Paul got off scot-free. The truth finally came out in April 2007, less than two months before Paul himself was killed in a car crash.