ANDREW CUCKSON FROM DENBIGH JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES CAUGHT ON CCTV

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilant law enforcement, Andrew Cuckson, a resident of Smithfield Road in Denbigh, was sentenced to prison for a series of serious child sex offences. The case came to light after Cuckson was caught on CCTV attempting to top up the credit on his mobile phone, a device he had used in connection with his illicit activities.

It was during the investigation that authorities uncovered his disturbing online communications with what he believed was a 12-year-old girl. In reality, the girl was an undercover decoy operated by a child protection organization called KKS Wales, which stands for Keeping Kids Safe. The interactions spanned multiple online platforms, including social media and messaging apps, but the most incriminating exchanges occurred on WhatsApp.

Between September 22, 2018, and May 27, 2019, Cuckson engaged in a series of sexually explicit conversations with the decoy, who he believed was a young girl named Alisha. The conversations were deeply inappropriate, with Cuckson asking the girl to strip and send explicit photographs, and fantasizing about what he would do if they ever met in person. The court heard that he invited her to a video call, but with a calculated effort to stay out of camera view, attempting to conceal his identity during the interaction.

His attempts at deception were ultimately unsuccessful. CCTV footage from a Post Office captured him topping up the credit on his phone, revealing his presence and activity in the real world. The seriousness of his offending was further underscored by his requests on December 23, 2018, and January 8, 2019, for the girl to perform sexual acts on herself, which added to the gravity of his crimes.

At Mold Crown Court, Judge Dyfed Llion Thomas addressed the court, describing Cuckson’s conduct as “persistent” and “disturbing.” The court found him guilty of 22 child sex offences after a jury trial held on January 21. Cuckson, aged 53, had initially denied the charges but was convicted on all counts.

He faced a range of sentences, with the most severe being four years imprisonment for the two primary charges of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity. Additionally, he received three-year concurrent sentences for five charges related to inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual acts. Eleven counts of attempting to communicate sexually with a child under 13 resulted in one-year concurrent sentences, while three counts of attempting to incite a child to view sexual images earned him 18 months each, all to run concurrently with the main sentence.

The court’s decision reflects the gravity of his actions and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation. Cuckson’s case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from predators.