ANDREW PAPPS CAUGHT IN NAILSWORTH PAEDOPHILE STING BY JUSTICE4KIDS

In November 2020, a disturbing case unfolded in Nailsworth involving local resident Andrew Papps, aged 46, who was caught in a sting operation conducted by the organization Justice4Kids. The incident began when two female members of the group, posing as underage girls online, engaged in conversations with Papps, who believed he was communicating with minors aged 13 to 14 on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

According to court reports, Papps not only engaged in these conversations but also sent explicit images of himself and encouraged one of the fictitious girls to perform a sexual act. The profiles of the girls were entirely fabricated by the Justice4Kids members, who had meticulously created the profiles to lure potential offenders. The women tracked down Papps’ residence in Nailsworth, specifically at his former home on Sunnyhill, Cainscross, and arrived unannounced, livestreaming the confrontation on social media to document the encounter.

Despite being arrested at that time, the investigation into Papps’ activities did not end there. The court heard that Papps later downloaded hundreds of indecent images of children onto his computer, further compounding his criminal behavior. The authorities uncovered this during subsequent searches and examinations of his devices.

Papps, who now resides in Forest Green, Nailsworth, pleaded guilty to multiple charges. He admitted to communicating with the three fictitious girls, believing they were between 13 and 14 years old, during the period from March 21 to April 15, 2019. He also confessed to attempting to engage a 13-year-old girl in sexual activity within the same timeframe. Additionally, Papps acknowledged possessing indecent images of children on his phone, which was found on April 14, 2019, and on his computer, seized during a police raid on July 2 of this year.

The court was informed that Papps’ actions included the possession of highly classified images. Police investigations revealed one Category A indecent image, depicting a girl aged between eight and ten, and a Category B image of a similar age. These images were part of a larger collection discovered during the search of his devices.

In sentencing, Judge Jason Taylor QC expressed concern over Papps’ continued criminal activity despite prior warnings. Papps was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years, and was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to participate in 40 days of specific rehabilitation programs aimed at addressing his behavior.

Prosecutor Catherine Flint detailed the progression of Papps’ conduct, noting that initial conversations with the fake girls were relatively benign but quickly escalated into sexual discussions. She highlighted that Papps was explicitly told the girls were underage, yet he chose to ignore this crucial information. The Justice4Kids members, after conducting research, located Papps’ residence and involved police, leading to the subsequent searches and discoveries.

During police interviews, Papps was cooperative and released from custody but remained under investigation. The authorities’ findings revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior, including the possession of hundreds of indecent images, with the most recent being downloaded between October 2019 and July 2020. The images depicted girls aged between four and twelve, with a significant number around ten years old.

Defense lawyer Eugene Hickey acknowledged Papps’ unhealthy sexual interests and his ongoing downloading of indecent images, despite the initial warning. He emphasized that Papps recognized his problematic behavior and viewed the downloading as less serious than attempting to contact underage girls directly. The court’s sentence reflected the gravity of his actions, with the additional requirement that Papps attend rehabilitation and comply with the terms of the sexual harm prevention order.