ANDREW PORTERFIELD FROM WHEATHAMPSTEAD CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN HARPENDEN AND WALKS FREE

In March 2015, a man from Wheathampstead named Andrew Porterfield faced a serious legal verdict after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl at a bus stop in Harpenden. Despite the conviction, Porterfield was sentenced to a year in prison; however, he was released immediately due to the time he had already served on remand following a breach of his bail conditions.

The case was heard at St Albans Crown Court, where it was revealed that Porterfield, aged 46 and residing on Wright Close in Wheathampstead, had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident. The court heard that he approached the young girl and asked her personal questions, including whether she had a boyfriend. As she attempted to distance herself from him, Porterfield made inappropriate physical contact by stroking her on the hip and leg.

Porterfield maintained his innocence, denying any sexual assault, but the jury found him guilty based on the evidence presented. It was noted that he had no prior convictions related to sexual offences, which was acknowledged during the proceedings. His defense attorney, David Smith, emphasized that Porterfield continued to deny the allegations and pointed out that his client had already spent 223 days in custody due to breaching bail conditions in July of the previous year. Smith highlighted that this period exceeded a typical year's sentence, which contributed to Porterfield's current situation.

Furthermore, the defense argued that Porterfield's prolonged detention had resulted in the loss of his accommodation, adding to the hardships he faced. The presiding judge, Andrew Bright QC, described the offence as particularly serious because the victim was only 14 years old. In addition to the prison sentence, Porterfield was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years, underscoring the gravity of the crime and the court's stance on protecting minors from such offences.