PERSONAL TRAINER JAILED FOR GROOMING AND ABUSING VULNERABLE TEEN
A convicted paedophile who claimed to be his victim's "king" has received a prison sentence after grooming a vulnerable 15-year-old girl he met through social media.Despite being detained and released on bail, Andrew Eldred, 35, continued to pursue his victim.
The personal trainer referred to himself as the girl’s "king" and her "pimp," while labeling her as his "slave" and his "pet." To avoid detection, Eldred deleted certain messages and replaced the SIM card in his phone before surrendering it to authorities, as the Swansea Crown Court was told.
Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Eldred, of Kidwell, Carmarthenshire, to 11 years in prison, describing his conduct towards a girl he knew to be vulnerable as "calculated, manipulative, and exploitative." She also remarked that Eldred's concern was mainly about her virginity rather than her age.
He first approached his victim in March 2024, using Instagram to ask if she was interested in personal training.
Their online exchanges quickly progressed to in-person meetings.
Prosecutor Hannah George explained to the court that Eldred groomed and manipulated the girl, encouraging her to keep their relationship secret from her parents.
Along with physical sexual contact, he persuaded her to perform sex acts on herself while being filmed.
Eldred suggested she should get his name tattooed on her neck and made references to her "giving birth" to his children.
He told her he was "coming for your virginity" and referred to himself as "the master of disaster." Throughout the grooming process, he made inappropriate remarks and used manipulative messages.
Even after the police had been informed, and he had been arrested and released on bail, Eldred continued to contact the girl, the court was told.
He was already convicted at trial of engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting or causing a child to engage in sexual acts twice, and communicating sexually with a child when he returned to face sentencing.
In 2021, he was convicted of stalking and assault by beating, which included entering a former partner’s garden and hiding under a trampoline.
Representing Eldred, lawyer Ann Tayo said he is a father of three and that his pre-sentence report indicated he acted out of fear of losing his relationship and the bond with his children.
She acknowledged that while Eldred had committed serious offenses, there were positive aspects to his character reflected in references presented to the court.
Judge Richards highlighted that Eldred had groomed and manipulated his victim, and the police found his text messages to exhibit controlling and coercive behavior.
She expressed her concern that he showed little genuine remorse, noting his defense during the trial that not only denied guilt but also attacked his victim’s character.
While she recognized the risk he posed to others, she stated that the criteria for deeming him dangerous had not yet been satisfied.
Eldred was sentenced to 11 years in prison and will serve two-thirds of that term behind bars, with the remaining period on supervision in the community.
He will be registered as a sex offender for life and subject to a 15-year sexual harm prevention order to limit his contact with young females.