Paedophile installed hidden cameras at school and sexually abused boys

One of Andrew Thompson's victims tried to escape the room while he was sexually abusing him, but the paedophile had locked him in.

There were more than 15 young boys who were victim of his sick offending.

Thompson, of Rossall Road, Great Sankey, appeared before Chester Crown Court today, Monday, after pleading guilty to 33 counts of child sex offences.

These include two counts of making indecent images of children, two counts of taking indecent images of children, possessing indecent images of children, 19 counts of voyeurism, and nine counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 years of age.

Prosecuting, Maria Marcellus said the offences happened over a period of two years and four months while Thompson was a teaching assistant at a school in Cheshire East, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, and a volunteer at a children’s activity group in Warrington.

It was heard how the 32-year-old used his position in these two roles to gain access to young boys.

The first hidden camera, which was motion controlled, was installed by Thompson in August 2021.

He installed it under the sink of a toilet used exclusively by children at the activity group he worked at in Warrington.

Then in April 2022, he installed a second camera under the sink in a toilet used exclusively by children at the activity group.

Chester Crown Court heard how these devices captures hundreds of video recordings of children using the facility as well as thousands of still images.

Police were able to investigate 15 children captured in these sick recordings but there are more victims who they were unable to identify.

But Thompson’s voyeuristic behaviour went further than the building in Warrington.

In August 2022, the group went on two summer camp trips, of which Thompson attended both.

On one, he installed a hidden camera above the shower facility.

And on the other, he installed one above a changing room bench. On this one, he was captured moving it around at a later date to adjust the angle.

More than 270 recordings were captured on this.

Ms Marcellus said that when Thompson’s devices were later seized, there were file names on his laptop named after each victim which had images and videos of them captured on his hidden cameras.

The paedophile’s offending went beyond the activity group and into the school where he worked in Cheshire East.

Here, not only did he install more hidden cameras, but he also sexually assaulted three young boys.

Chester Crown Court heard how Thompson’s main victim was sexually abused at least 10 times.

Ms Marcellus explained how Thompson would take this boy to a room for a ‘time out’ where he would then sexually assault him.

On one occasion when the victim was being sexually assaulted, he repeatedly told Thompson ‘no’ and tried to escape. But Thompson grabbed him and locked the doors.

In a police interview, this victim told officers that this kind of behaviour happened almost daily and that he would try to escape school or ask his friends to accompany him around school so the defendant could not abuse him.

But when they did accompany him, Thompson would make them leave the room.

There were also two other young boys who Thompson sexually assaulted – not just in school but also on school trips. He forced them to perform sex acts on themselves and inappropriately touched them.

On one of these school trips, a hidden camera planted by Thompson picked him up performing a sex act on himself in a changing room.

It was heard how one of Thompson’s hidden cameras was found by an activity group volunteer in July 2022 and police were alerted. He was identified as a suspect in December 2022 following an intense police investigation, meaning his behaviour continued until this time.

Victim impact statements were read to the court in which it was heard the trauma and severe psychological impact that Thompson’s offending has had on all of the young boys and their families.

The victims spoke of feeling violated, embarrassed and anxious and one spoke of ‘struggling to face the world’.

Some said they struggle to now use public toilets.

It was also heard how the victims ‘fear’ seeing Thompson or being contacted by him upon his release from jail.

Thompson, who was described as showing no genuine remorse, has no previous convictions.

Defending, William Staunton said how his client is a ‘parent’s worst nightmare’.

Mr Staunton reminded the court of his client’s guilty plea, meaning that a trial was not required.

He also said that Thompson, who ‘must have a twist in his mind’, wishes to work on whatever programmes are available to him while he is in prison.

Before sentencing, Judge Simon Berkson said that Thompson’s offending was a ‘campaign of child sex abuse’.

He said that Thompson’s offending was a ‘grotesque’ abuse of trust.

“None of these young people should have had to suffer as they have done,” Judge Berkson added.

Thompson received eight years in prison. He will be released after four years and serve the rest on licence.

He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

A retraining order was also made against all of Thompson’s victims.

Following the sentencing, detective inspector Simon Mills, of the Cheshire East Public Protection Team, said: “Thompson is a sexual predator and the sentence handed to him by the court reflects the severity of his offending.

“He abused his position and it’s clear that he had no regards for his victims, his only concern was to fulfil his own sexual gratification.

“Thankfully, following our detailed investigation, and the statements provided by his victims, he has now been held accountable for his actions.”

 “We treat all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any reports will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

“Victims should never feel ashamed to talk about what they have been subjected to. They will receive the help and support they need from our specialist officers, as well as from other support agencies we work alongside, and all victims of sexual offences have the right to anonymity.”

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, or know of someone who has, please call on 101 or visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/how-to-report-rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/

Information can also be reported anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.