Former teacher with 100,000 indecent images of children walks free from court

A former teacher from Wigan who was caught with more than 100,000 indecent images of children has walked free from court.
Liverpool Crown CourtLiverpool Crown Court
Liverpool Crown Court

John Andrews, who has a previous conviction for indecent exposure, was discovered with the disgusting child porn after police raided his Wigan home.

Imposing a suspended prison sentence on him, the judge Recorder David Turner, QC, said, “It is a great shame that a man who has lived a good life as you have and worked very hard should be before the crown court at the age of 57.”

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He said that although he had pleaded guilty it had been “at the last moment.”

Andrews, a former biology teacher, of Freckleton Street, Wigan, pleaded guilty to three offences of downloading indecent images of children.

Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that when police raided his home on May 28 last year they found “a large quantity of computer and related equipment.

“It was examined and on two of these items a large quantity of indecent images - over 100,000 - was recovered.”

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She explained that it would have taken too long for police to examine all of them and the charges related to those specifically identified. There were 122 in the most serious category; 268 in the second category and 2,101 of the least serious type.

“The ages of the children ranged from four to 16 years,” said Miss Snowdon.

Andrews was sentenced to ten months imprisonment suspended for two years and placed under supervision for two years with attendance on a sex offenders rehabilitation programme.

He has to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, restricting his internet access, for the same length of time was also imposed.

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William Beardmore, defending, said that references spoke of Andrews’ “positive good character.

“He fell into depression having moved from one school to another with a view to obtaining an assistant head teacher’s job.”

When he rapidly realised this promise was not going to materialise depression over came him and he had not really worked full time since.

He did some supply teaching until 2012 and then opened a computer ship with a relative. He has now given it up and handed over control of the business to his brother-in-law, said Mr Beardmore.

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