In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Andrew Clingo, then 43, of Barleyfield, Langtoft, Lincolnshire, was sentenced to prison for the sexual abuse of a teenage boy. On Saturday, 18 May 2019, Clingo appeared at Lincoln Crown Court, where he was handed an eight-year custodial sentence for a series of assaults that a family member described as “evil acts.”
The investigation established that Clingo, a former primary school teacher and choir director, assaulted the boy on three occasions between October 2007 and March 2009. Lincolnshire Police conducted the inquiry into the defendant, who had built a significant professional reputation as a “popular and charismatic” figure. Clingo taught at Fulbridge School in Peterborough, Bourne Abbey School in Lincolnshire, and was the founder and musical director of the Handful of Harmonies Choir in Bourne.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Clingo utilised his charm and position of trust to facilitate the abuse. The judge noted that the victim had been severely affected, leading to two attempts on his own life and causing the family to be “torn apart.” The prosecution stated that the defendant’s diverse roles, including running a Stagecoach Theatre School in Northampton and a local drama group, provided him with wide-ranging access to children.
The judge noted the profound psychological damage inflicted on the victim, who struggled to articulate the full impact of the ordeal. For his actions in Lincolnshire, the court determined that Clingo posed such a risk that he must be permanently barred from any future work with children or vulnerable adults. The prosecution noted that the investigation highlighted how the defendant’s public-facing persona was used as a shield to hide his predatory behaviour.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Andrew Clingo was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Eight years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Employment: Barred from working with children or vulnerable people indefinitely.
- Judicial Oversight: Convicted at Lincoln Crown Court on three counts of assault.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Clingo is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Lincolnshire Police and the prison estate. Due to the nature of the assaults and his previous high-profile roles in Langtoft, Bourne, and Peterborough, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Clingo must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Barleyfield, Langtoft, Lincolnshire, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his history of using musical and educational leadership roles to groom victims remains a primary focus of his risk assessment. Any breach of his registration conditions or future licence terms will result in immediate arrest and a return to Lincoln Crown Court.
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