Andrew Cox

A 38-year-old man from Wrexham, Andrew Cox, avoided immediate imprisonment after admitting to voyeurism and possession of extreme pornographic images at Chester Magistrates Court.

On 16 March 2024, Cheshire Police responded to a report at a location in Ellesmere Port, where a victim discovered an unlocked mobile phone hidden under a rag in a toilet cubicle. The device was actively recording the toilet bowl and the person using it, capturing footage of the victim's genitalia on two occasions. Prosecutor Heather Bell informed District Judge Ian Barnes that Cox had placed the phone there, and upon investigation, multiple videos were found on the device, indicating the activity occurred over a sustained period.

• Cox, of Hughes Row in Acrefair, Wrexham, had previously admitted two counts of voyeurism.
• During his arrest, police seized a laptop and phones from Cox, uncovering five extreme pornographic images depicting men and women engaged in sexual activity with animals.
• Cox later admitted to possession of these images.

In a no-comment interview, Cox provided no explanation, though he was noted to be of previous good character. Defending solicitor Joanne Black described her client as 'highly mortified and ashamed' by his actions, attributing them to personal struggles including tremendous bullying, the death of his sister, and resulting introversion that led him to seek interaction on social media. She emphasised that the arrest brought relief to Cox, who is supported by his family and fears custody due to potential loss of his new job and home. Black noted that three of the five images were received in group chats and suggested others involved should face prosecution, explaining Cox's initial denial based on this mitigation.

District Judge Ian Barnes acknowledged Cox's 'niche sexual interest in people during private acts,' stating that he could not limit it to online content and instead created his own material. The judge highlighted the raised culpability due to multiple videos and the volume obtained over time, confirming the custody threshold was passed. However, considering Cox's good character and that the material was for personal use without evidence of sharing, the sentence was suspended.

Cox was sentenced to 16 weeks' custody, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and 120 hours of unpaid work. He must sign the sex offenders' register within three days, pay a £154 victim surcharge, and £300 in prosecution costs. No compensation was ordered to the victim.

The case was heard on Tuesday at Chester Magistrates Court, as reported by the Wirral Globe.