ANDREW JACKSON SENTENCED IN FARNHAM FOR MULTIPLE SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN

In a significant case that has shocked the community of Farnham, Andrew Jackson, aged 54 and of no fixed address, has been sentenced to a total of seven years in prison after admitting to committing multiple serious sexual offences. The crimes, which spanned several years and involved vulnerable young victims, were brought to light during a court hearing at Guildford Crown Court last week.

Jackson pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual misconduct, including the heinous act of indecently assaulting a two-year-old girl. His admission came after a series of legal proceedings that began with an earlier hearing in February 2018, where he pleaded guilty to two of the charges. The remaining two charges were scheduled for trial last week; however, Jackson chose to admit guilt before the jury was sworn in, effectively avoiding a lengthy trial process.

The offences for which Jackson was convicted include a range of disturbing acts. The first two counts involved indecent assaults on girls aged between 11 and 12 years old, for which he received a combined sentence of three years and 21 months, to be served concurrently. The third count involved the indecent assault of a two-year-old girl, which resulted in a four-year prison term to be served consecutively to the first count. The final count was for indecency with a two-year-old child, carrying a sentence of two years, to be served concurrently with the first count.

The crimes took place in Farnham over a period stretching from 1978 to 1982. Despite the lengthy time elapsed, the victims only felt able to come forward and speak out as adults, demonstrating remarkable bravery in confronting their past trauma. Their courage has been publicly acknowledged and praised, highlighting the importance of speaking out against abuse regardless of the passage of time.

It is also noteworthy that Jackson was already under the scrutiny of authorities prior to these recent convictions. In August 2013, he was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which was issued after he pleaded guilty to raping a five-year-old girl in Farnham. This order was set to be indefinite and explicitly prohibited him from having any unsupervised contact with female children under the age of 16. Despite this, Jackson was sentenced to nine years in prison for the 2013 offence but was released on licence in December 2017 after serving just over four years of his sentence.

The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and managing individuals with a history of sexual offences, especially those involving children. The community of Farnham can now find some measure of relief knowing that Jackson has been held accountable for his actions, and that justice has been served for the victims who endured unimaginable suffering.