ANDREW COLLINS FROM FISHPOUNDS CAUGHT IN BRISTOL PAEDOPHILE STING

In February 2020, a disturbing case unfolded involving Andrew Collins, a man residing on Fishponds Road in Fishponds, who engaged in online conversations with what he believed was a 12-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to Collins, the girl was actually a paedophile hunter operating under the alias Hannah, who was monitoring his online activity and reporting it to authorities.

Collins, aged 54, was involved in a series of conversations with the undercover hunter from April to August 2018, using the dating app Skout. During these exchanges, the hunter portrayed herself as an autistic, mute girl named Hannah, who repeatedly emphasized her age of 12, her school attendance, and her lack of sexual experience. The interactions quickly took a sexual turn, with Collins expressing a desire to kiss, cuddle, and touch her, and even requesting a photograph of her in her bra.

Throughout the chats, Collins explicitly talked about making love to the girl, which, given her age, constituted serious sexual abuse. He also suggested meeting her in Bristol city centre at a fast-food restaurant such as KFC or McDonald's. Although no meeting ever took place, Collins continued to engage in sexualised conversations and proposed attending the girl’s supposed home in Fishponds at night, when her mother was allegedly away at work.

Law enforcement officials obtained extensive chat logs from the conversations, which provided clear evidence of Collins’s intentions and actions. Following this, police arrested him and brought him before Bristol Crown Court.

During the hearing, the prosecution, led by Neil Treharne, detailed Collins’s conduct and the nature of the online interactions. The court was told that Collins had pleaded guilty to charges including attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Mr. Ben Compton QC sentenced Collins to nine months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years. The judge also ordered Collins to undergo treatment and rehabilitation programs. Additionally, he imposed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to prevent any future offending.

Neil Treharne emphasized the seriousness of the case, highlighting that Collins’s actions were part of a calculated effort to exploit a vulnerable child online. The case underscores the ongoing risks posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant monitoring and law enforcement intervention to protect children from sexual exploitation.