ANDREW SIDAWAY FROM BLURTON CAUGHT IN SEX OFFENDER AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDALS

In March 2019, Andrew Sidaway, a resident of Blurton, found himself at the center of a serious legal case involving breaches of his court-mandated restrictions and allegations of possessing and creating indecent images of children. Sidaway, who is on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of ten years, was convicted of multiple offenses related to child exploitation and pornography, leading to significant legal repercussions.

Sidaway’s troubles began when he violated a court order by creating a Facebook account under a false name, Barry Jones, in an apparent attempt to evade vigilante retaliation. The account featured a profile picture of a young female, which raised suspicions. Despite his efforts to conceal his identity, he failed to register this alias with the police, which ultimately led to his misconduct being uncovered. The breach was discovered when Sidaway handed his mobile phone to law enforcement officers during a routine check.

During the police examination, authorities found a link to the Facebook profile of Barry Jones on his device. Sidaway claimed that the account was his and that he used it primarily to communicate with his wife, citing fears of being targeted by vigilantes. He admitted that he had not realized he was required to register the alias with the authorities. When questioned, he explained that he created the profile in October to avoid threats and harassment, acknowledging that it was a mistake and expressing remorse for his actions.

Sidaway, aged 52 at the time, appeared before Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sex Offenders’ Register and breaching his previously imposed suspended sentence. The court was informed that in November of the previous year, he had received a suspended prison sentence after admitting to three counts of making indecent images of children and one charge of possessing extreme pornographic material. The Facebook account breach was identified just six days after this sentencing.

Prosecutor Nick Tatlow detailed the case, stating, “He was asked to attend Longton Police Station to meet his offender manager. During this visit, he submitted his phone for examination, which contained a link to the Facebook account of Barry Jones. He claimed it was his account and that he used it to communicate with his wife to avoid vigilante targeting. He was unaware that he needed to register this alias.”

Further investigation revealed that the Facebook profile had a young female as its profile image, and the account had received contact from other profiles. Sidaway explained that he had created the account in October to prevent threats and harassment, and he expressed regret for his oversight. The court noted his cooperation, with the defense highlighting that Sidaway had been attending all probation appointments and had taken steps to address his situation, including changing addresses multiple times due to repercussions.

As part of his community order, Sidaway was mandated to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity program. Additionally, he was fined £150 and ordered to pay £200 in court costs. Judge David Fletcher warned him that non-compliance in the future could result in immediate imprisonment, emphasizing the seriousness of his breaches and previous offenses.

In a separate but related case from November 2018, Sidaway was found to have engaged in extensive online searches for child abuse material over a period of seven years. The police executed a warrant at his Blurton residence and seized multiple devices, including a computer tower, USB storage device, iPhone, and iPad. Analysis of these devices uncovered a disturbing collection of indecent images, totaling 1,629 at the most severe Category A level, along with hundreds of other images across categories B and C, and 23 extreme pornographic images. The content included graphic images of very young children, some as young as two or three, being raped, and even infants as young as 12 months old.

Sidaway, aged 53 at the time, admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children between October 1, 2010, and March 23, 2018, as well as possession of extreme pornographic material. His arrest and subsequent sentencing took place at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he received a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with a 40-day rehabilitation requirement. The court also imposed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a ten-year registration on the sex offenders’ register.

Prosecutor David Bennett emphasized the gravity of Sidaway’s actions, stating, “The defendant was actively seeking indecent images of children on the internet, using search terms such as ‘pre teen hard core’ and ‘paedo’. The images found included very young children, some as young as two or three, being raped, and infants as young as 12 months old. These images are among the most serious and exploitative.”

Judge Baz Bhatia underscored the severity of the offenses, condemning Sidaway’s role in perpetuating the exploitation of vulnerable children and stressing the importance of strict legal measures to prevent further harm. The court’s rulings reflect a firm stance against such heinous crimes, aiming to protect society from individuals like Sidaway who pose a significant risk to children and the community at large.