ANDREW DELAFIELD OF HOLSWORTHY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN DEVON

A man named Andrew Delafield, who resided in Holsworthy, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after engaging in disturbing online activities involving minors. The case unfolded in Exeter Crown Court, revealing a series of alarming offenses committed by Delafield, who previously worked as a physical education teacher.

According to court records, Delafield, aged 28 and living on Fairfield Road in Newton Abbot, Devon, used a social networking platform to contact a 15-year-old girl. Under the alias 'Lanky Monkey,' he offered her £200 in exchange for sexual favors. This illicit proposal was part of a broader pattern of predatory behavior, as he also solicited indecent images from the girl and another 15-year-old girl student.

The court heard that Delafield's misconduct was uncovered after a male friend of one of the girls pretended to be her online and managed to persuade him to send a facial image of himself. This ruse led to his eventual arrest and subsequent conviction. Delafield was found guilty of two counts of attempting to produce indecent images of a child and eleven counts of making indecent images of a child.

Judge Jeremy Griggs emphasized that the fact Delafield knew the girls personally distinguished this case from typical internet-related offenses. The defendant's prior conviction for creating indecent images of a child added to the severity of his sentencing.

Malcolm Galloway, prosecuting, informed the court that at the time of the offenses, Delafield was employed as a software sales manager, having previously been a PE teacher at a community college. He left that position in the summer of 2007. The prosecutor also revealed that Delafield admitted to being 27 years old and having known the girl from gymnastics activities at the college.

The case took a further disturbing turn when it was disclosed that Delafield possessed a total of 271 still and moving images depicting child abuse on his computer. The situation escalated when a male friend of one of the girls warned him that he was 'busted,' leading to police involvement and the exposure of his illicit activities.

During the proceedings, Mackenzie Robinson, representing Delafield, claimed that the defendant believed the girls were at least 16 years old and characterized his actions as 'reckless stupidity.' Despite this defense, the court sentenced him to 21 months in prison, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the breach of trust involved.