READING PAEDOPHILE ANDREW THOMPSON CONVICTED OF CHILD ABUSE
Parents who were devastated and in tears expressed their dismay after a paedophile was convicted on less than one-third of the charges brought against him for abusing their children.Andrew Thompson, aged 43 and residing on Farrowdene Road in Whitley Wood, was found guilty of four counts out of 14 related to sexual assault on a child under 13 at Reading Magistrates’ Court on a recent Friday.
One of the charges involving sexual penetration was reduced to a lesser offence of sexual assault after the jury spent three days deliberating before reaching a verdict.
Thompson faced accusations of fondling and kissing eight boys, mostly between the ages of 10 and 12, at his home and at swimming pools in Reading.
However, he was only convicted of abusing two of these children.
Outside the courtroom, the husband of one of the victims expressed his feelings: “My wife cannot speak to anyone.
We thought he would be convicted on more charges – we are really devastated.
It’s up to the jury to decide, and he hasn’t been found guilty of all the counts, which is very hard for us to accept.
We’re not satisfied with the verdict.” Earlier in the hearing, court proceedings revealed that Thompson had befriended a boy’s mother through his involvement with a local youth sports club.
He had persuaded her and other parents to allow him to take their sons swimming and to stay at his house, where he sexually touched them during activities like washing and drying.
Thompson would also threaten to withhold dinner unless the children kissed and cuddled him and would make them run around his flat naked after instructing them to strip for baths and showers.
The father of one of the boys commented: “We hope the judge will give him the sentence he deserves.
We just want to move on and recover, but it’s going to be tough.
He was initially a friend, and now he’s become our enemy.” A mother, whose child was among those affected and who attended court, said her children were suffering and receiving counselling.
She added: “Everyone is shocked, but there’s also some relief.
Emotions are intense, and we’re waiting for the sentencing.
Thompson is a sick individual, and people like him should be kept away from society for good.” Judge Gordon Risius scheduled Thompson’s sentencing for Monday, June 18.
