ANDREW CILIA FROM CRAWLEY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BRIGHTON

In a case that has shocked the community of Crawley, Andrew Cilia, a 50-year-old computer engineer, was found guilty of a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The offences took place over a span of nearly a decade, from 2004 to 2013, and involved victims as young as six years old.

Cilia's criminal activities included sexually assaulting three young girls at his residence in Ivory Walk, Bewbush, Crawley. The assaults, which occurred over several years, involved girls aged between six and twelve. In addition to these assaults, Cilia was found to have a significant collection of indecent images of children, which he downloaded from the internet. These images were shared via peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, raising concerns about the extent of his online activities.

The legal proceedings began when authorities received intelligence in the autumn of 2012 indicating that Cilia's computer was being used to distribute child abuse images. A search warrant was executed at his home in November of that year, during which Cilia admitted to accessing indecent images. His arrest was swift, but further investigations revealed that he had also been engaging in sexual activities with three young girls, whom he had befriended over a period of years, initially as a family friend.

Following his arrest, Cilia was charged with multiple offences, including five counts of making indecent photographs of children, three counts of taking indecent photographs, six counts of sexual assault on minors, and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. These charges were brought before Brighton Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to all counts.

In March 2013, Cilia was sentenced to 13 years in prison after a conviction that included the aforementioned offences. The court also ordered that he be required to register as a sex offender for life and imposed an indefinite Sexual Offences Protection Order (SOPO), which restricts his access to computers and children to prevent further offending.

However, in a recent development, the Court of Appeal reviewed his sentence. Last Friday, Lord Justice Davis, Justice Spencer, and Judge Peter Rook QC agreed that the original sentence was excessively severe and reduced it to a maximum of 11 years. This decision means that Cilia will serve a shorter time behind bars but will still face lifelong registration as a sex offender and ongoing restrictions under the SOPO.

Detective Sergeant Martin Harmer, who was instrumental in bringing Cilia to justice, explained how the case unfolded. He stated, “In the autumn of 2012, we received information that a computer at Cilia’s address was being used to make available to others images of child abuse via a peer-to-peer file-sharing site on the internet. When we executed a search warrant at the address in November of that year, Cilia admitted accessing indecent images and was arrested. However, it swiftly became clear from our inquiries that he had also been engaging in sexual activity with three young girls.”

Harmer emphasized the importance of the intervention, saying, “We are glad to be able to intervene, stop his offending, and ensure that the victims were able to receive proper support.” The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from further harm. The community of Crawley remains vigilant, and authorities continue to work tirelessly to prevent such crimes from occurring in the future.