ANDREW ADEY GROOMS 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN SOUTHAMPTON AND TRAVELS TO NORTH WALES FOR SEXUAL MEETING
In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Andrew Peter Adey, a man from Southampton, was found guilty of grooming an 11-year-old girl with the intent of engaging in sexual activity.The incident unfolded after Adey initiated contact with the young girl through the social networking platform BearShare, where he falsely claimed to be 21 years old.
Over the course of their online interactions, Adey sent the girl videos from his residence in Maybush, attempting to build a relationship under false pretenses.
According to court proceedings, the situation took a sinister turn when Adey learned of the girl’s age.
Instead of withdrawing, he responded inappropriately, reportedly saying, “that would make it all the better,” when she disclosed her age of 11.
This comment underscored his predatory intentions.
Winchester Crown Court heard how Adey then made plans to meet the girl in person, going so far as to book a hotel room near her residence in North Wales, indicating a clear desire to carry out sexual acts.
Further evidence presented in court revealed that Adey had sent the girl sexually explicit images and had conducted online searches related to her school, demonstrating a calculated effort to target her specifically.
The prosecutor, Adam Feest, emphasized the gravity of Adey’s actions, stating, “The defendant has quite deliberately taken advantage of a young child with the intention of travelling from the south of the county to North Wales to meet her and have sexual intercourse with her.” However, Adey’s plans were thwarted when he was arrested before he could travel to the hotel.
The arrest came after the girl confided in a teacher at her school, alerting authorities to the impending danger.
Police investigations also uncovered that Adey had previously contacted other underage girls and possessed a collection of child pornography, including explicit images of children as young as seven.
These images were found on his computer during a raid at his Thirlmere Road home, alongside a small quantity of cannabis.
It is important to note that a full forensic analysis of Adey’s computer had not been completed at the time of sentencing, but the images discovered were classified within the most extreme categories of child exploitation material, categories three to five.
During the court hearing, Adey’s defense lawyer, Susan Ridge, acknowledged her client’s admitted sexual interest in female children, though she did not contest the charges.
Judge Keith Cutler described Adey as “predatory and manipulative,” condemning his actions and highlighting the potential harm caused.
He remarked, “It’s very fortunate that [this meeting] never went ahead.
I’m sure that looking back on it, that girl, her mother, and the school are very shocked that she got very close to meeting you in those circumstances.” As a result of his convictions, Adey was sentenced to three years in prison for grooming, with an additional four months for possessing indecent images.
He also received a one-month sentence for cannabis possession, which will run concurrently.
In total, he faces a sentence of 40 months in prison.
Furthermore, Adey will be registered on the sex offenders register indefinitely and will be subject to a ten-year sex offenders prevention order, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions related to his conduct.
