WIRRAL RAILWAY SIGNAL MAN AVOIDED PRISON AFTER ONLINE GROOMING AND INDECENT VIDEOS

A former railway signalman from Wirral, Andrew Fisher, has been convicted after inciting a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity during online chats. Fisher was found to have sexualised chats on his phone when police seized his electronic devices. Unaware to his family, Fisher had been chatting with an undercover police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, continuing for about two months. Investigations revealed he had taken 23 videos of himself masturbating while at work for Network Rail in Mickle Trafford, Chester.

Fisher faced trial on eight charges of endangering railway passengers' safety through his neglect and video recordings at work between May 28 and September 17, 2023, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no realistic chance of conviction on these charges, and no evidence was presented. He was also tried in magistrates court and found guilty of attempting to communicate sexually with a minor and incite sexual activity.

He had initiated contact via Kik Messenger and asked for pictures of the decoy in her school uniform or pajamas, talking about 'skinny dipping' at New Brighton, and making inappropriate comments about her body, including her bra size and describing her bum as 'very grabbable.' Fisher also sent a photo of himself with exposed chest and nipples, suggesting she send one in her underwear.

Police arrested Fisher at his workplace in September 2023. Fisher claimed he did not believe the girl was real. Defense lawyer Christopher McMaster highlighted Fisher's struggles with his behavior, noting he is a father of two with a good job, but his life has fallen apart, and he now lives with his parents after losing his job and being dismissed from Network Rail.

He is supporting his wife financially, who works as a teaching assistant. Fisher was sentenced by Recorder Martine Snowdon to two years in prison, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation activities. He is also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period. The judge remarked, 'I cannot tell you how close you have come to going to prison.'