ANDREW PROUD'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN BRIDLINGTON: CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT AND INDECENT IMAGES REVEALED
In August 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Andrew Proud, a 49-year-old man from Richmond Street, Bridlington, who was convicted of heinous crimes against a young girl.Proud, who had established a seemingly trusting relationship with the child's mother, was accused of abusing the innocence of a four-year-old girl under his care, an act that has left a lasting scar on the victim and her family.
According to court proceedings, Proud had met the child's mother through mutual acquaintances, and over nearly four years, they developed a close friendship.
During this period, Proud was entrusted with the care of the young girl, often taking her out for outings while her mother worked on Saturdays.
The mother paid Proud between £10 and £15 each time he looked after her, unaware of his true intentions and the dark motives behind his actions.
At Hull Crown Court, Proud was sentenced for multiple serious offenses, including the sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of downloading indecent images, and possession of prohibited material.
The court heard a heartbreaking victim impact statement from the child's mother, who described the profound effects of Proud’s abuse.
She stated, “My daughter still has a recollection of what happened that day and she has terrible nightmares and has to sleep in bed with me.
He has stolen her innocence.
A four-year-old should not even know about these things and I felt powerless to stop it.” The mother expressed feelings of shame and helplessness, revealing her internal struggle and the emotional toll of the ordeal.
She added, “I feel embarrassed and humiliated that I let him look after my daughter.
I thought about moving away but why should I uproot my child?
This has been the longest 11 months of my life and I need to find some justice and closure.
It will take a long time to get over this.
I feel guilty and I’ve been blamed for what happened.” Prosecutor Charlotte Baines detailed how Proud began grooming the young girl during August and September of the previous year.
She explained that Proud would look after the girl once or twice a month, with the child even staying overnight on two occasions in 2019.
The court was told that on September 23, Proud took the girl to the beach.
When the mother was contacted, Proud asked if the girl could sleep over, but she refused.
The mother later heard her daughter in the background expressing a desire to go home.
That evening, the girl confided in her mother, revealing that she had a secret—one that belonged to her and Andrew.
She then disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted that day, a revelation that prompted her mother to contact the police.
The young girl was interviewed by authorities, during which she described her feelings of anger and distress about what had happened.
Andrew Proud was arrested in connection with the allegations.
During police questioning, he denied any wrongdoing, claiming, “it’s stupid, I would never do anything like that to a child.” However, forensic analysis of the girl’s underwear revealed saliva matching Proud’s DNA, providing crucial evidence against him.
Further investigations led to the seizure of Proud’s computer, which contained a significant number of indecent images.
The digital examination uncovered 27 Category A images—the most severe classification—along with nine Category B and 28 Category C images.
Additionally, authorities found that Proud had accessed nearly 1,000 other images and videos related to indecent material.
As a result of these findings, Proud was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for the sexual assault, with an additional 12 months to be served consecutively for possessing indecent images.
The court also mandated that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, prohibiting him from having any unsupervised contact or access to children in the future.
This case highlights the devastating impact of grooming and sexual abuse, and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from predators in communities like Bridlington.
