ANDREW SIMPSON FROM MARSKE CAUGHT WITH CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN SHOCKING CASE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Marske, Andrew Simpson was found to be in possession of a significant number of illegal images depicting children. The incident came to light in January 2018 when authorities acted on information suggesting that Simpson’s internet activity was linked to the downloading of indecent pictures of minors.

At approximately 6:20 am on January 18, police officers arrived at Simpson’s residence on Sherwood Drive in Marske. During the subsequent search of his home, Simpson was immediately taken into custody after he voluntarily admitted that there would be images stored on his laptop. The officers discovered a total of 126 images, among which four were classified at the most serious level of indecency. The children depicted in these images were as young as ten years old, a fact confirmed by prosecutor Jenny Haigh during the proceedings at Teesside Crown Court.

Simpson, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, explained that he had come across an illegal image by accident. He claimed that his consumption of pornography had “escalated” over time, particularly during his routine searches for adult material, which eventually led to the viewing of child abuse images. This explanation was presented during his court appearance as part of his defense.

The defendant, residing on Sherwood Drive in Marske, pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children. This marked his first conviction related to such offenses. The court was informed of Simpson’s mental health struggles, which included long-term PTSD diagnosed in 2011, along with depression and anxiety. There was also a suggestion that he might be on the autistic spectrum, although this had not yet been confirmed.

Judge Peter Armstrong addressed Simpson directly, emphasizing the nature of his offense. He stated, “In the context of such cases, that’s not a substantial number of images. The courts deal with cases involving very large numbers of images.” The judge acknowledged Simpson’s mental health issues but reinforced the gravity of viewing child abuse images, noting that such actions contribute directly to the ongoing abuse of children. “People who look at images like this are part and parcel of the abuse of children because if there weren’t people like you looking at these things, it may be that children wouldn’t be abused in the first place,” he added.

As a result of his guilty plea, Simpson was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities, including one-to-one counseling. Additionally, Simpson was subject to a sexual harm prevention order that restricts his use of the internet and computers, and he will be registered on the sex offenders’ register for the next ten years. Furthermore, he is barred from working with children in any capacity, aiming to prevent any potential risk to minors in the future.