ANDREW JOSEPHS FROM EDGWARE BANNED FROM STANMORE SYNAGOGUE AFTER CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In a significant development within the community of Stanmore, a decision has been made to impose an indefinite ban on Andrew Josephs from returning to the local synagogue following his criminal convictions related to child sexual offenses. The synagogue authorities have taken this step to ensure the safety and well-being of their congregation, particularly the children, and to uphold community standards of safety and trust.

Andrew Josephs, aged 29, residing at Parklands Court on Edgware Way in Edgware, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court on February 27, 2006, of multiple serious charges involving the sexual abuse of minors. His convictions included four counts of indecent assault and two counts of engaging in sexual activity with boys. The court sentenced him to a two-year prison term for the indecent assaults committed against one boy, and an additional nine months for the sexual activities involving a second child. These convictions followed a thorough investigation conducted by Barnet police’s child abuse investigation team, highlighting the severity and the community’s concern over his actions.

Despite serving part of his sentence, Josephs, a former primary school teacher at Michael Sobell Sinai School in Kenton, has expressed a desire to rejoin the congregation at the Stanmore synagogue. However, this request has been firmly denied. The synagogue’s management, after consulting with Harrow Council, police authorities, child protection agencies, and engaging with the wider community, decided that allowing Josephs to return would pose an unacceptable risk to children’s safety. As a result, he has been officially barred from praying at the Stanmore and Canon’s Park Synagogue located on London Road, where he is a registered member.

A special committee was convened to review his case, and last week, they recommended that Josephs be banned from the synagogue premises. This decision aligns with a broader policy to exclude individuals who have been charged or convicted of similar offenses, emphasizing the community’s commitment to safeguarding its youngest members.

Shimon Cohen, a spokesperson for the United Synagogue, explained that the management board had sought extensive advice from local authorities and community stakeholders before reaching this conclusion. He stated, “As a result of this process, the synagogue took notice of this and decided to ban Mr. Josephs from the synagogue. There are plenty of places where he can go and pray, just not in our synagogue.”

Mr. Cohen further emphasized that the synagogue is a close-knit community that prioritizes the safety of its children. He described the decision as a “common sense” measure aimed at protecting the community’s welfare. “The bigger question for us is the preservation of community life and our children,” he said. “While Judaism promotes forgiveness, it is ultimately up to the victims to decide whether to forgive this individual.”

Earlier, in March 2006, Andrew Josephs was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after being found guilty of abusing two 12-year-old boys during private tutoring sessions at his home in Edgware. The court heard that Josephs, aged 28 at the time, had engaged in inappropriate conduct with the boys, both of whom were minors at the time of the offenses. The investigation was initiated in August 2004 after a parent reported that Josephs had inappropriately touched her son during a tutoring session. Subsequently, other victims came forward, revealing similar experiences.

Detective Sergeant Diane Lesley commented on the case, highlighting the courage of the victims and condemning Josephs’ breach of trust. She stated, “Andrew Josephs was a respected member of the community entrusted with the care of children. These offences were a grave abuse of that position of trust. Other victims of child abuse should be encouraged not to suffer in silence, but to speak out and help us put a stop to this.”

Josephs, who had been privately tutoring boys aged 12 and 13 at his residence, received a sentence of two years for four counts of indecent assault on one boy, and nine months for two counts of sexual activity with another boy. Additionally, he was prohibited from working with children and was subject to a sex offences prevention order that barred him from having unsupervised contact with children under 16 and from accessing pornography online.

He faced multiple charges, including four counts of indecent assault, four counts of sexual activity with boys, and five counts of possessing indecent photographs of children. However, charges related to abuse of a position of trust were dropped after the jury was instructed to find him not guilty on those counts. The Crown Prosecution Service had initially also charged him with possession of indecent images, but those charges were discontinued before the trial commenced.