ANDREW TROTTER FROM WALCOTE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN WARWICK CROWN COURT

A man aged 35 from Walcote has been found guilty of attempting to persuade a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activities through online communication. The individual, Andrew Trotter, used the pseudonym Drew Smith on the Kik social media platform to contact what he believed was a young girl named Ellie.

During their online interactions, Trotter inquired about her age, and upon her confirming she was 13, he continued to discuss inappropriate and sexual topics. He requested explicit images from her and, in turn, sent an intimate photograph of himself exposing his genitals. The conversation also involved plans for a physical meeting, with Trotter explicitly mentioning arrangements for sexual activity.

However, he later claimed that he was unable to attend the meeting due to other commitments, despite having previously arranged it. His arrest in late 2018 uncovered that he had used the profile Drew Smith and had sent the explicit image. At that time, Trotter stated he had no recollection of any conversations involving a child, despite admitting to using the profile and sending the indecent image.

Following his conviction, Trotter pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. Warwick Crown Court sentenced him to a two-year community order, which includes participation in a rehabilitation program aimed at addressing his behavior. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years and was fined £500.

The presiding judge emphasized that Trotter’s early admission of guilt, his engagement in a successful rehabilitation process, and his demonstrated insight into his actions were factors that contributed to the relatively lenient sentence. It was also noted that his actions had led to estrangement from his wife, highlighting the personal consequences of his criminal behavior.