ANDREW HUGHES SHAMES FAIRLIE AND LARGS WITH SEXUAL GROOMING SCANDAL AND AVOIDING JAIL
| Red Rose Database
Largs Fairlie Sexual Abuser
In a case that has shocked the communities of Fairlie and Largs, Andrew Hughes, aged 49, has been spared a prison sentence despite his involvement in a disturbing grooming and harassment campaign targeting a young girl from Fairlie. Hughes, who resides in Largs, was found guilty of sending obscene messages and causing fear and alarm to the victim over a period of approximately one year, beginning in April 2017.
Hughes’s actions included persistent and sleazy Snapchat messages, in which he requested the girl to send him nude photographs. The victim, who was a minor at the time, described the messages as alarming and distressing, revealing that Hughes’s conduct had a profound impact on her mental health. She recounted suffering a nervous breakdown as a direct result of his predatory behaviour and expressed feelings of betrayal and helplessness upon learning that Hughes would not be serving time in prison.
The court proceedings took place at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, where Hughes was convicted of sending obscene messages and causing her fear or alarm. During the trial, it was disclosed that Hughes had been battling depression, had recently gone through a marriage breakdown, and was living in a hostel following his conviction. Despite the severity of his actions, the court sentenced Hughes to 250 hours of community service instead of imprisonment. The decision has been met with outrage from the victim and her mother, who both voiced their disappointment and disbelief at the outcome.
The victim’s mother expressed her frustration, stating, “This wasn’t the outcome we expected — we thought he was going to go to jail. I can’t believe it. My daughter didn’t understand why he didn’t go to prison at the very least. It has been a very difficult situation for her after she was so brave and waived her anonymity to speak out.” She further condemned Hughes’s actions, emphasizing that he had been grooming her daughter, and described the court’s decision as “disgraceful” and “a slap in the face.”
Meanwhile, the victim herself shared her emotional turmoil, saying, “When my mum told me, I burst out crying. I feel like I can’t move on anymore — that he got away with it. He manipulated me and made it feel like it was my fault.” Her words reflect the deep scars left by Hughes’s misconduct and the sense of injustice felt by her family.
In a related case from July 2018, a schoolgirl from Ayrshire was also subjected to grooming by Hughes, who was portrayed as a family friend and a “grandad” figure. The teenager, who later turned 18, described how Hughes had sent her sleazy messages on Snapchat, including requests for naked photos and flirtatious comments. She recounted that Hughes had asked her to sleep next to him on a sofa during a sleepover, which she found uncomfortable and inappropriate. Hughes’s grooming campaign extended to sending her numerous social media messages, in which he expressed dissatisfaction with his personal life and made suggestive remarks about her appearance.
Chantelle, the victim, revealed that she had tried to block Hughes on social media but was guilt-tripped into re-engaging with him. She also disclosed that Hughes later begged her for nude images after seeing a photo of her with her top lifted to reveal a tattoo. The teenager’s distress culminated in a nervous breakdown, and she described feeling “disgusted” and “like people are talking about me all the time.” She also expressed regret over her decision to waive her right to anonymity, stating that her life has been profoundly affected since the incident.
Hughes’s case continues to evoke strong reactions from the local communities, with many condemning the court’s leniency and calling for stricter penalties for such predatory behaviour. The cases highlight the ongoing issues of grooming and online exploitation, raising awareness about the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals from predators who often hide behind seemingly benign facades.
Hughes’s actions included persistent and sleazy Snapchat messages, in which he requested the girl to send him nude photographs. The victim, who was a minor at the time, described the messages as alarming and distressing, revealing that Hughes’s conduct had a profound impact on her mental health. She recounted suffering a nervous breakdown as a direct result of his predatory behaviour and expressed feelings of betrayal and helplessness upon learning that Hughes would not be serving time in prison.
The court proceedings took place at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, where Hughes was convicted of sending obscene messages and causing her fear or alarm. During the trial, it was disclosed that Hughes had been battling depression, had recently gone through a marriage breakdown, and was living in a hostel following his conviction. Despite the severity of his actions, the court sentenced Hughes to 250 hours of community service instead of imprisonment. The decision has been met with outrage from the victim and her mother, who both voiced their disappointment and disbelief at the outcome.
The victim’s mother expressed her frustration, stating, “This wasn’t the outcome we expected — we thought he was going to go to jail. I can’t believe it. My daughter didn’t understand why he didn’t go to prison at the very least. It has been a very difficult situation for her after she was so brave and waived her anonymity to speak out.” She further condemned Hughes’s actions, emphasizing that he had been grooming her daughter, and described the court’s decision as “disgraceful” and “a slap in the face.”
Meanwhile, the victim herself shared her emotional turmoil, saying, “When my mum told me, I burst out crying. I feel like I can’t move on anymore — that he got away with it. He manipulated me and made it feel like it was my fault.” Her words reflect the deep scars left by Hughes’s misconduct and the sense of injustice felt by her family.
In a related case from July 2018, a schoolgirl from Ayrshire was also subjected to grooming by Hughes, who was portrayed as a family friend and a “grandad” figure. The teenager, who later turned 18, described how Hughes had sent her sleazy messages on Snapchat, including requests for naked photos and flirtatious comments. She recounted that Hughes had asked her to sleep next to him on a sofa during a sleepover, which she found uncomfortable and inappropriate. Hughes’s grooming campaign extended to sending her numerous social media messages, in which he expressed dissatisfaction with his personal life and made suggestive remarks about her appearance.
Chantelle, the victim, revealed that she had tried to block Hughes on social media but was guilt-tripped into re-engaging with him. She also disclosed that Hughes later begged her for nude images after seeing a photo of her with her top lifted to reveal a tattoo. The teenager’s distress culminated in a nervous breakdown, and she described feeling “disgusted” and “like people are talking about me all the time.” She also expressed regret over her decision to waive her right to anonymity, stating that her life has been profoundly affected since the incident.
Hughes’s case continues to evoke strong reactions from the local communities, with many condemning the court’s leniency and calling for stricter penalties for such predatory behaviour. The cases highlight the ongoing issues of grooming and online exploitation, raising awareness about the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals from predators who often hide behind seemingly benign facades.