ANDREW APPLEBY'S NIGHTMARE IN NEWCASTLE: STALKING AND ABUSE OF SCHOOLGIRL REVEALED
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Newcastle, Andrew Appleby, aged 45, has been sentenced to four years in prison for a prolonged campaign of stalking and abusing a young girl.The court heard that Appleby, residing on Causey Row in Newcastle, developed an unhealthy obsession with a primary-school-aged girl, which spanned over two and a half years, during which he subjected her to significant emotional trauma and exploitation.
According to court proceedings, Appleby amassed hundreds of indecent photographs of the girl, revealing his inappropriate and disturbing interest in her.
He took deliberate steps to maintain constant contact with her, including giving her an old mobile phone, through which he messaged her up to 85 times daily.
These messages sought detailed information about her daily activities, friends, and family, effectively controlling her life and creating a manipulative environment.
Prosecutor Tamara Pawson detailed how Appleby used threats and blackmail to manipulate the young girl.
He threatened to show her mother a video recording of her swearing if she did not comply with his demands.
His anger was provoked when she spent time with friends or attended birthday parties, further demonstrating his obsessive and controlling behavior.
The court was told that, unbeknownst to her mother, the girl would often hide or discard party invitations to avoid her abuser’s scrutiny.
It was only after two and a half years that the girl confided in her mother, revealing that Appleby had been mean to her and had done “bad things.” This disclosure led to his arrest in April 2015.
Police found him clutching a hard drive containing hundreds of images of the girl, some of which were indecent, and which he had attempted to delete.
Evidence also showed that Appleby used photographs of the girl during the period of the offenses as his screensaver on both his computer and mobile phone.
Further investigation uncovered 1,206 diary entries on Appleby’s mobile device, documenting the girl and her family’s movements, as well as his own feelings of happiness when he spent time with her.
One particularly revealing entry expressed frustration that the girl preferred riding her bike over spending time with him, stating, “Sick of that bike, if she keeps choosing that bike over me there’s going to be big trouble.” Authorities also revealed that Appleby forced the girl to watch inappropriate material, holding her by her legs if she attempted to leave.
His actions demonstrated a clear pattern of grooming and exploitation.
During court proceedings, Appleby pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and eight counts of making indecent images of children.
In a heartfelt statement read aloud in court, the girl’s mother described the devastating impact of Appleby’s actions.
She said, “In April 2015 our whole world came crashing down when we discovered the treatment she had suffered for the last few years.” She expressed heartbreak that her daughter had kept her suffering secret for so long and shared how the girl still suffers from nightmares, waking up crying and fearing for her family’s safety.
“She is a changed little girl, her childhood has been stolen by him making her live like this,” her mother added.
Mitigating the sentence, lawyer Glen Gatland acknowledged Appleby’s reprehensible behavior but highlighted that he was a man of previously good character who had been made redundant in 2010, which he suggested contributed to his current state.
Appleby claimed during police interviews and initial court hearings that he did not take the photos or videos himself, attempting to shift blame onto a young boy.
However, Judge Simon Hickey dismissed these claims, stating they were “flying in the face of common sense.” Judge Hickey sentenced Appleby to four years in prison, emphasizing that his primary motive was to obtain indecent images of the girl.
The judge also ordered Appleby to register as a sex offender for life and imposed a sexual harm prevention order, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to protect the community from further harm.
