ACCRINGTON MAN JAILED FOR GROOMING AND CHILD ABUSE
Joshua Adcroft, also known under the alias Joshua Everitt, was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison for grooming and sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl.He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, soliciting indecent images of children, and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order 11 times.Investigations revealed that Adcroft, previously working as a football stadium announcer, had groomed the young victim before assaulting her.
The victim's statement detailed her emotional trauma, saying, "I felt empty inside when Josh first touched me.
I felt overwhelmed and helpless.
I now feel frustrated.
I’m annoyed that I was too scared to tell anyone and feel that I let him do it." She also described how threats from him prevented her from reporting the abuse and caused her to isolate herself.
Fortunately, she later confided in her family, which helped her process her experience.Despite being registered as a sex offender at the time of the assault, Adcroft had concealed his contact with the victim from authorities.
The case reemerged in April 2024 when he was arrested by the British Transport Police returning from a work trip.
His home was searched, and laptops were seized, revealing indecent images of an 8-year-old girl from Essex and additional 53 images of children.
Chat logs indicated communication with the girl's mother about what he wanted.Lancashire Police officer Detective Constable Laura Fahey commented, "Adcroft is a manipulative individual with unhealthy interests in young girls for his own depraved reasons.
The victim showed tremendous courage in speaking out despite threats.
His actions have profoundly affected her, and today's sentence ensures he is removed from society and away from children."Authorities confirm that Adcroft will serve a 14-year prison sentence, removing a dangerous sex offender from the streets.Hear the latest UK news on Greatest Hits Radio and find support information at this link.
