ANDREW KNIGHT INVOLVED IN SEASIDE ABDUCTION NEAR WARRINGTON

In March 2006, a child sex offender named Andrew Knight was involved in an incident at a seaside location. Knight, 27, was found sharing a Blackpool boarding house with a 15-year-old girl after eloping with her. The girl, who was in local authority care, had run away to Blackpool with Knight following an acquaintance he made with her mother, Warrington Crown Court was told.

Knight, from Arndale, Beechwood, Runcorn, had previously been ordered to register as a sex offender after receiving a caution for molesting a 14-year-old girl. Despite this, he falsely informed police and social services that the girl’s mother was his partner.

The girl cannot be named for legal reasons, and she had been in care at the time of her disappearance last October. After living together in a bed and breakfast at Blackpool for about two weeks, they were discovered following a tip-off from Blackpool Jobcentre staff. The girl was later detained but chose not to cooperate with police during their investigation.

During court proceedings, it was revealed that Knight admitted to having a relationship with the girl for three months. However, he denied any sexual contact, claiming they had only kissed and cuddled. Knight also acknowledged that he had previously been cautioned in 2003 after being reported for kissing and indecently touching a 14-year-old girl in Runcorn. He was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register but lied about his whereabouts to social workers.

Judge David Hale addressed Knight’s behavior, stating: 'You are on the sex offenders’ register for inappropriate conduct with a 14-year-old girl and yet you went on to behave inappropriately with another vulnerable girl. She may have initiated this relationship, but you should not have encouraged her because there was potential for her to have suffered great harm.' Knight was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment after admitting to child abduction charges.