ANDREW THREAPPLETON JAILED IN PRESTON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND COVERT FILMING

In January 2016, Andrew Threappleton, a 48-year-old man with no fixed address, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for crimes involving covert filming and indecent comments aimed at young girls. Threappleton was convicted of child sex offences after police discovered a collection of disturbing videos on his phone, which included footage of young girls and young women, alongside lewd remarks.

The incident that led to his arrest took place on April 21 when two schoolgirls, aged 12 and 13, boarded a bus in Cleveleys. Threappleton, who was later identified through a police appeal and a photograph published in The Gazette, sat behind the girls on the largely empty bus and began muttering indecent comments, such as “get your breasts out” and “have you got your knickers on?”. He had been secretly recording one girl’s legs and was heard making explicit remarks on the footage, which he did not deny.

Police seized Threappleton’s phone during his arrest and found evidence of 11 incidents, six of which qualified as criminal offences. The footage revealed lurid comments directed at the victims, some of which were covertly filmed from behind them. The judge described Threappleton’s behavior as “worrying.” Judge Andrew Woolman stated, “You deliberately sat behind two girls who were young. You were muttering sexual comments—some aimed at the girls. I accept you were acting for gratification and enjoyment of filming but did not believe the girls would comply with your requests.”

Threappleton has prior convictions, including a 2001 conviction for child abduction. In that case, he was jailed for nine months by Leeds Crown Court after abducting a 14-year-old girl he met in a school playground, with whom he formed a relationship. She stayed overnight at a den near a canalside despite her parents’ efforts to intervene. Threappleton admitted child abduction, and during that hearing, it was noted that he had groomed the girl and taken her shopping while providing gifts, although he denied any sexual activity.

The court also heard that in January 2015, Threappleton followed a schoolgirl and told her to lift her skirt and “show her panties.” The case included footage of him making inappropriate remarks to two women as well.

Defense lawyer Anthony Longworth acknowledged that Threappleton’s comments, which were audible to the girls, were distressing. Since his 2001 conviction, Threappleton was subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order that banned him from using filming equipment on buses.

The 2001 incident resulted in a sentence of nine months for abducting a 14-year-old girl, with whom he spent the night. Despite her parents’ concern and attempts to prevent their relationship, Threappleton’s actions caused distress to the girl and her family, with her mother expressing relief at the prison sentence yet feeling the punishment was insufficient, stating, “My daughter is now afraid to leave the house and has been completely traumatised.”