In 2011, the Offender Database recorded that Andrew Flaherty, then 50, of Ashleigh Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire, was sentenced as a dangerous offender. Following a trial at Stafford Crown Court, Flaherty was jailed for six years for the sexual abuse of two pre-teen girls, having denied two charges of indecent assault and four charges of sexual activity with a child.
The investigation established that Flaherty was a serial predator, having previously served a 30-month prison sentence in 2006 for the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old child. Staffordshire Police conducted the inquiry, which highlighted a pattern of targeting children under the age of 13. Due to his history of reoffending and the gravity of the assaults, the judge classified him as a significant risk to the public, particularly minors.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Flaherty refused to admit his guilt, forcing his young victims to testify. The judge noted that the defendant’s previous conviction in 2006 had failed to deter his predatory behaviour. The prosecution stated that the “dangerous offender” status was necessary to ensure that he remained under strict supervision for an extended period to prevent further harm to children in the Rugeley and wider Staffordshire areas.
The judge noted the lasting psychological impact on the two pre-teen girls targeted in the 2011 case. For his actions in Rugeley, Staffordshire, the court determined that the defendant required an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The prosecution noted that the investigation proved Flaherty had persistently sought out opportunities to abuse vulnerable children over a period of several years.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Andrew Flaherty was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Six years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- SHPO: An indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) forbidding contact with anyone under 16.
- Dangerousness: Officially designated as a “dangerous offender” by the court.
- Licence: His extended licence period was set to run until 2021.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Flaherty is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Staffordshire Police and the Probation Service. Although his prison licence expired in 2021, he remains subject to the conditions of his indefinite SHPO and lifelong registration on the Sex Offenders Register.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Flaherty must comply with notification requirements regarding his current residence in Staffordshire. Authorities state that the SHPO provides a legal mechanism to arrest him if he attempts to contact minors or if he uses social media, such as Facebook, to facilitate such contact in breach of his specific court-ordered restrictions. Any breach of these lifelong conditions will result in immediate arrest and a return to Stafford Crown Court.
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