He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey and Oxford University, gaining an M.A.
In February 1999 he stood in a Senatorial by-election and was voted in with 3,320 votes (beating Paul Le Claire, Harry Cole and Geraint Jennings).
Senator Dorey lost his Senatorial seat at the following general election in October 1999, being edged out in 7th place.
The following month he was voted back as Deputy by the voters of St Helier No.
He became vice-president of Environment and Public Services, and in that position argued for a resiting of waste disposal in his St Helier constituency; he described the loss of his seat in the 2005 elections as a "severe disappointment".