ANDREW RICHARDS FROM KIRRIEMUIR FACES CHARGES OVER SEXUAL TEXTS TO TEENAGE GIRL IN ANGUS

In February 2019, a serious case emerged involving Andrew Richards, a resident of Knowehead Crescent in Kirriemuir, who was implicated in sending explicit and inappropriate messages to a 14-year-old girl. The incident came to light during an investigation conducted by specialist officers from the national child exploitation unit, which was triggered by concerns over the victim’s mobile phone activity.

Richards, aged 45, appeared before Forfar Sheriff Court to face charges related to his conduct. The court heard that Richards had engaged in a pattern of sending sexually explicit messages to the young girl over a period spanning from May 31 to July 29, 2017. These messages included vile suggestions and content intended to either obtain sexual gratification or to humiliate, distress, or alarm the teenager. The court was informed that Richards was aware of the girl’s age and that she was known to him, which added a disturbing context to the case.

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond detailed the investigation process, revealing that the inquiry was initiated after authorities examined the victim’s mobile device. The investigation uncovered that the girl had been communicating with multiple individuals, raising child exploitation concerns. As part of the probe, a request was made to a specialist unit to analyze the contents of her phone, which ultimately identified Richards as the sender of the indecent messages.

It was revealed during the court proceedings that Richards’ communication with the girl was extensive and occurred over several dates within the three-month period. The young girl was interviewed by officers from the national child abuse investigations unit, during which she expressed feeling pressured into maintaining contact with Richards. A search warrant was executed at Richards’ home in March 2018; however, nothing of evidential value was recovered from the property. Despite this, authorities traced Richards to his workplace, where he was found and subsequently arrested. Richards did not make any comment when questioned by police prior to his arrest.

Initially, Richards appeared in court in private on petition, and he admitted to the charges at a summary level. Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown responded to the case by stating that, due to the serious nature of the offense, she would defer sentencing to allow for the preparation of a criminal justice report and an assessment for a restriction of liberty order. The defence’s submissions were reserved until March 14, when Richards is scheduled to return to court for sentencing. As of now, he has been released on bail pending the final judgment.