ANDREW BURTON OF BARNSEY SENTENCED FOR GROOMING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Barnsley and the wider South Yorkshire area, Andrew Burton, a former police officer, was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to grooming a 13-year-old girl for sexual activity. The incident came to light after Burton, who was responsible for monitoring sex offenders within the community, attempted to lure the young girl into sexual contact through a series of text messages and online communications.

Burton, aged 41 at the time, had previously served as a constable with South Yorkshire Police but had since resigned from his position. The court heard that Burton had developed a seemingly friendly relationship with the girl, who lived near him in Barnsley, after he moved to a new residence in 2005. Over time, this relationship escalated as Burton sent her hundreds of text messages, some of which contained sexually explicit content, indicating a deliberate effort to manipulate and exploit her.

During the proceedings at Sheffield Crown Court, it was revealed that Burton, who also held the position of treasurer for the Police Federation in the area, had made a calculated attempt to persuade the girl to visit his home for sexual touching. However, there was no evidence suggesting that Burton had tried to coerce her into engaging in sexual intercourse. The police were alerted to the situation when the girl’s mother discovered evidence of the communications on her computer. This discovery prompted an investigation, which uncovered further details about Burton’s actions.

When officers arrived at Burton’s residence, they found that he had discarded his Police Federation mobile phone, which was his only device used for communication. This act of destruction was seen as an attempt to conceal evidence. During the court hearing, Burton’s defense lawyer, Brian Stork, described the case as a tragic fall from grace for the officer, emphasizing the personal turmoil Burton had experienced following revelations of his wife’s affair with a colleague in 2004. This revelation had a profound impact on Burton’s confidence and self-esteem, leading to his inappropriate conduct.

Stork also highlighted that Burton, who had served as a police constable for 11 years, took full responsibility for his actions. Burton had previously pleaded guilty to charges of grooming a girl for sex and perverting the course of justice. The judge, Roger Keen, sentenced Burton to two years in prison and ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders register for ten years. In his sentencing remarks, Judge Keen stated that Burton’s actions had effectively ended his career and that his role in monitoring sex offenders should have made him acutely aware of the vulnerability of young girls. The judge emphasized that the victim was only 13 years old, immature and vulnerable, and that Burton’s deliberate efforts to bring her to his home for sexual touching were particularly egregious.

Following the sentencing, Chief Superintendent Jon House commented on the case, stating, “South Yorkshire Police has thoroughly investigated and, with the Crown Prosecution Service, robustly prosecuted this case. This circumstance is extremely rare and it is vital for us to uphold the integrity of what is a successful public protection system in South Yorkshire. This was an extremely rare occurrence and there was nothing in Burton’s background to indicate that he would offend in this way. None of these offences was commissioned using SYP systems or while on SYP premises.”