ANDREW BROCKLEBANK'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN WILLENHALL AND WINSFORD: PREDATOR'S REIGN OF TERROR

In May 2013, Andrew Brocklebank, a man with no fixed address, was sentenced to two years in prison after a series of disturbing online predatory behaviors targeting young girls in the areas of Willenhall and Winsford. The court heard that Brocklebank, aged 27 at the time, had engaged in manipulative and sexually motivated online interactions with three 14-year-old schoolgirls, posing as a teenage boy to gain their trust and exploit them.

Judge Nicholas Webb condemned Brocklebank, describing him as "at the very least a sexual pest who feeds on young girls to gratify himself." The court was told that Brocklebank initially pretended to be a 16-year-old, but when one mother of a victim expressed concern and contacted him, he escalated his deception by claiming to be his own father. The judge highlighted the persistent and controlling nature of Brocklebank’s offenses, emphasizing his troubling history of inappropriate interest in much younger females.

The proceedings at Wolverhampton Crown Court revealed that Brocklebank had not extended his offending beyond these incidents at the time of sentencing. Judge Webb stated that he could not determine whether Brocklebank posed a danger to the public at that moment, thus preventing a longer sentence. However, he issued a stern warning that any future similar offenses would result in a prison term, underscoring the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals from further harm.

As part of his conviction, Brocklebank admitted to three charges of inciting a young girl to engage in sexual activity. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a decade, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Rees detailed Brocklebank’s troubling background, which included previous convictions for child abduction and sexual assault. It was revealed that Brocklebank had pretended to be a 16-year-old named Andy Bate and had used a false profile picture of another young man on Facebook, attempting to conceal his true identity. The case unraveled when concerned parents became suspicious and involved the police, who subsequently tracked down Brocklebank.

In a separate but related incident in the same period, Brocklebank was found to have persuaded an underage girl to send him a topless photograph of herself. This occurred weeks after his release from prison, where he had served a 28-month sentence for luring a co-worker into a back office and groping her. His criminal history also includes a 2005 conviction at Chester Crown Court for attempting to abduct an 11-year-old boy from a school in Crewe by pretending to be his cousin. Brocklebank’s pattern of predatory behavior was evident across multiple offenses spanning several years.

In October of the previous year, Brocklebank, then 26, had posed as a teenage boy to establish online contact with three schoolgirls in Willenhall. His methods involved using the Blackberry messaging service BBM to communicate with the girls and creating a fake Facebook profile under the name Andrew Bate, claiming to live on Pershore Road in Birmingham and attend Kings Heath Boys School. His attempts to meet the girls in person were thwarted after the mother of one victim became suspicious and contacted the police. The girls later disclosed that Brocklebank’s messages had become increasingly sexual and abusive, prompting the mother to take immediate action to protect her daughter.

Earlier, in 2005, Brocklebank’s dangerous tendencies were demonstrated when he was jailed for two and a half years for trying to abduct an 11-year-old boy from Over Hall School in Winsford. He had falsely claimed that the boy’s grandmother was ill and later changed his story when questioned by school staff. The staff’s vigilance prevented the abduction, and police arrested Brocklebank shortly thereafter. The incident was praised by school officials and police for their swift and effective response, which ultimately removed a dangerous individual from the streets of Winsford.

Judge Roger Dutton described Brocklebank as a "predator" who had a disturbing pattern of seducing and exploiting young people. The judge expressed confusion over Brocklebank’s apparent fascination with younger females, noting that he had married a 16-year-old girl and fathered three children with her. The court emphasized the seriousness of attempted abduction, stating that only custody could adequately reflect the gravity of Brocklebank’s actions, and he was accordingly sentenced to a term of imprisonment for his crimes.