ANDREW BROUGH CHADDESDEN DERBY PAEDOPHILE SHARED HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND TRIED TO LURE TEENS

In July 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Andrew Brough, a 63-year-old resident of Chaddesden, Derby, who was found to have engaged in heinous activities related to child exploitation and online abuse. The court proceedings revealed a series of grave offenses committed by Brough, including the possession and distribution of thousands of indecent images of children, as well as attempts to communicate sexually with minors over the internet.

According to evidence presented at Derby Crown Court, Brough had amassed a collection of over 2,000 horrifying images depicting children as young as two being subjected to sexual abuse. These images were categorized into different levels of severity, with 718 classified as Category A, indicating the most serious content involving young children engaged in sexual acts with adults. Additionally, police found 537 images in Category B and 905 in Category C, along with extreme pornographic material involving adults and animals.

The investigation uncovered that Brough was part of a clandestine network where such indecent images were shared among like-minded individuals. His involvement extended beyond mere possession; he actively sought out and communicated with what he believed to be teenage girls. In April 2018, Brough initiated contact with a profile he thought belonged to a 13-year-old girl named Emily. In reality, this profile was created by a vigilante group called Manchester Hunters, who had set up the account to trap him.

During the course of their interactions, Brough asked Emily about her age, body, and future physical development, and he requested her telephone number. He also engaged her in explicit conversations, asking her to perform sexual acts and encouraging her to do the same. Brough even arranged to speak with her over the phone, during which he instructed her to touch herself and described his own sexual gratification, revealing that he had performed a sex act and claimed to have enjoyed it.

Members of the paedophile hunters group traveled from Manchester to Derby to confront Brough after he agreed to meet 'Emily' following his work shift. When they identified him during the online chat, they followed him to his residence on Rupert Road. Confronted at his home, Brough was detained and the police were called. During the arrest, he handed over his mobile phone and disclosed that he had two additional devices hidden in the boot of his car.

Further investigation revealed that Brough was actively involved in a network sharing indecent images and messages concerning the sexual abuse of children. Police recovered multiple devices containing hundreds of images and messages, confirming his participation in this illicit activity. Brough also exchanged messages with other men regarding the sexual exploitation of minors.

In court, the prosecution detailed Brough’s disturbing online behavior, including his attempts to lure minors and his participation in a broader network of offenders. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to communicate sexually with a minor, distributing indecent images, making indecent images, and possessing extreme pornographic material involving animals.

Judge Paul Mann QC sentenced Brough to 40 months in prison, emphasizing the gravity of his offenses. The judge highlighted the human aspect behind the images, stating, “To you, they may have seemed to be just sexual images. But in truth, each one was a human being – someone’s child, someone’s grandchild. Think how you would react to discovering your own children were not only being abused sexually but how that was being made public for other people’s sexual satisfaction.”

Earlier in June 2020, Brough was also targeted by the Manchester Hunters group, who posed as underage girls named Emily and Maisie. Brough believed he was exchanging explicit messages with these minors, but the group had arranged to confront him at his home before alerting the authorities. He admitted to attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and to engaging in sexual communication with a minor. Police found additional images and messages linking him to other individuals involved in child exploitation. Brough, who had no prior convictions, was granted conditional bail and is scheduled for sentencing on July 14 at Derby Crown Court, where he will appear in person to face the full extent of justice for his crimes.