ANDREW WILLIAMS OF DROITWICH SPA SHOCKS COMMUNITY WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE

Andrew Williams, formerly known as Andrew Lumba, a man with ties to the town of Droitwich Spa, has been at the center of a disturbing criminal case involving the possession of indecent images of children. Williams, who was once a respected graduate and actively involved in his community, notably helped his wife manage a local youth club, has now been exposed for his involvement in a serious offense.

On September 18, 2008, authorities executed a raid on Williams' residence located in Colford Close, Droitwich. During the police search, they discovered a troubling collection of over 2,000 images depicting children in various states of exploitation. These images were found stored on his computer, and their content was classified as highly disturbing by investigators. The images ranged from children as young as six months old to teenagers up to 16 years old, with nearly 650 of them categorized at the most severe level of depravity. Additionally, law enforcement uncovered more than 40 moving images, 11 of which were rated as serious.

Prosecutor Kerry Moreton detailed the nature of the material, emphasizing the severity of the case. Williams admitted to police that he was only interested in images of children around the age of 12 and insisted that he had not shared or distributed these images to anyone else. His actions, however, were deemed a grave violation of the law and community standards.

At Worcester Crown Court, Williams appeared to face the charges. His defense, led by Julian Harris, presented character references and highlighted that Williams, who had no prior criminal record, had lost his job following the discovery of the images. Harris also noted that Williams was suffering from depression at the time of the offense. Despite his troubled state, Williams' wife remained supportive, and his family stood by him throughout the proceedings. Harris described Williams as being deeply ashamed and disgusted upon viewing the images, which he found utterly abhorrent.

Judge Amjad Nawaz delivered the verdict, acknowledging that the offense met the criteria for a custodial sentence. However, in a decision aimed at rehabilitation, the judge imposed a three-year community order instead. Williams was to be supervised by the probation service for the duration of this period and required to participate in a community sex offender group work program. Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years and to comply with a sexual offences prevention order for the same period. The court also mandated that Williams pay costs amounting to £352.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Nawaz highlighted that Williams was a university graduate, married, and that his faith played a significant role in his life. He pointed out that these factors distinguished him from many others who commit similar offenses. The judge also referenced the youth club that Williams helped run, the Sacred Heart Youth Club, based at the Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint Catherine of Alexandria on Worcester Road, Droitwich. This revelation added a layer of tragedy to the case, given Williams' previous involvement in youth work.

Following the court proceedings, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, which oversees Catholic churches in Worcestershire, issued a statement. They confirmed that Williams had not been involved in any youth activities within the Catholic Church since the allegations surfaced. The church emphasized that it has comprehensive procedures in place to protect children and vulnerable adults and assured the public that such matters are taken very seriously.