Andrew Houghton

Andrew Houghton, a 58-year-old resident of Main Street, Offenham, has pleaded guilty to serious child sexual offences committed between September 22, 2020, and October 10, 2020. The offences involved attempting to incite a female child aged 12 to engage in sexual activity, specifically by encouraging her to take off her clothes, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with the same child, where he discussed playing a game involving the removal of clothing.

The case came to light through an investigation, though specific details on how authorities became aware of the communications were not disclosed in court proceedings. Houghton's actions were described in court as targeting a young girl under the age of 13, highlighting the predatory nature of the offences. These admissions were made during a hearing at Worcester Magistrates' Court on Thursday, February 27, 2025, where Houghton entered guilty pleas to both charges.

Following his pleas, Houghton was remanded on conditional bail. He is scheduled to appear for sentencing at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, March 28, 2025. The court will determine the appropriate punishment, which could include imprisonment given the severity of the child sex communication offences. This case underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat online grooming and sexual exploitation of minors in the region.

The proceedings were reported by Kieran Williams for the Evesham Journal, based on details from the court hearing. No further comments from Houghton or his legal representatives were available at the time of reporting.