March 2005 Paedophile is jailed for ‘grooming’ young girls A paedophile who groomed two pre-pubescent girls for sex has been jailed for four years. Moments before he was about to stand trial in January, Andrew Ward (40), admitted two counts of indecently assaulting one girl between February 1, 1997, and February 1, 2000, and a further two counts of molesting the other between the same dates. As well as the assaults, the court heard he had taken indecent photographs of the girls, one of which he had kept for more than a year. During the hearing in January, Ward’s sister Dianne Hawthorne (40), was jailed for eight days for contempt of court for shouting abuse at the two girls, aged 11 and 13, outside the courtroom. Returning to the dock of Gloucester Crown Court today, Ward, who shared a home with his sister in Goodhart Way, Thorpe Astley, was sentenced. Judge Jamie Tabor QC gave Ward four years behind bars, with a fifth year to be served under licensed supervision. “In civilian life, you are a man of good character,” Judge Tabor said. “People speak highly of you – the public gallery is full of people who have stood by you, when many would have lost their friends because of what you have done. “I take into account that you have not been in trouble before. The admission of your guilt was very late. “You wrote to me saying that you were not a predator. I accept that you are not a predator to the female sex as a whole, but I’ve no doubt that you were a predator to those girls. “I have no doubt that you were preparing them for further sexual activity, call it grooming, or what you will. “I find it extremely sinister that you took photographs and kept them for a year.” Ward’s defence barrister Rosemary Collins called an ex-girlfriend to testify to his good character. Ms Collins added that he was “thoroughly ashamed” by what he had done and accepted that it was wrong. The abuse could have begun as early as 1997, when one of the girls was just eight, said Ian Fenny, prosecuting. “He is a predatory paedophile. He took indecent photographs and one indecent video,” said the barrister. Mr Fenny said that damage to the second girl’s hymen clearly showed evidence of digital penetration. It was only when one of the girls developed an unrelated genital infection that suspicions were aroused. After his arrest, Ward claimed to police that he had no sexual interest in children.