ANDOVER PAEDOPHILE STEVEN COATSORTH SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND INDECENT IMAGES

In June 2017, a disturbing case involving Steven Coatsworth, a resident of High Street in Andover, culminated in his sentencing to over four years in prison for heinous crimes related to child sexual exploitation and indecent images. Coatsworth, aged 52 at the time, was convicted of attempting to facilitate a sexual assault on an 11-year-old girl, as well as possessing multiple indecent images, following a series of covert police operations and online investigations.

His arrest occurred under dramatic circumstances when his vehicle broke down during a police sting operation. An undercover officer, posing as the grandfather of the young girl, had been communicating with Coatsworth online, leading to a planned meeting that was intended to take place at a service station in the north of England. The operation was designed to catch Coatsworth in the act of arranging a sexual encounter with a minor.

During the court proceedings at Winchester Crown Court, Judge Nick Atkinson QC described Coatsworth’s actions as “evil” and sentenced him to four and a half years behind bars. Coatsworth had admitted to attempting to arrange and facilitate a child sexual offense, along with six counts of making indecent images of children. The prosecution, led by James Kellam, revealed that Coatsworth had been active on various internet chatrooms, some of which were dedicated to taboo subjects such as incest.

It was in one of these chatrooms that Coatsworth engaged in conversation with a user named Al, who was actually an undercover police officer. During their private exchanges, Coatsworth inquired whether anyone could arrange for him to have sex with a child. Al responded by claiming he could arrange for Coatsworth to meet his 11-year-old granddaughter. The court was told that negotiations ensued, leading to plans for Coatsworth to travel from Andover to the north of England, where he intended to meet the child at a service station, with the possibility of also meeting a 12-year-old boy for sexual activity.

Coatsworth set off on January 8, but his journey was cut short when his vehicle broke down. He was subsequently arrested by police officers. During questioning, Coatsworth claimed that his Pagan beliefs influenced his views, particularly his belief that consent, rather than age, was the most important factor in sexual relationships. He stated to police that he did not believe his religious beliefs compelled him to engage in sexual activity with children. However, probation reports indicated that Coatsworth had misrepresented Paganism to justify his inappropriate desires.

Further details revealed that in his online messages to the undercover officer, Coatsworth suggested encouraging children to drink alcohol if they were not “compliant,” although no alcohol was found in his vehicle at the time of arrest. Importantly, authorities clarified that no child was ever in actual danger during the incident, emphasizing that Coatsworth’s actions were an attempt that ultimately did not materialize into a physical encounter. The court’s verdict reflected the severity of his intentions, even though the crime was thwarted before it could fully develop.