In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Andrew Whiddett, then 70, a former lieutenant colonel in the British Army, was sentenced to 38 months (3 years and 2 months) in prison. Whiddett, of Portsmouth, Hampshire, was convicted at Croydon Crown Court for his role in directing and paying for live-streamed child sexual abuse from the Philippines.
The investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that Whiddett, who was awarded an MBE and previously served as head of security at the British Embassy in Baghdad, used Skype to coordinate with Filipino facilitators. He spent thousands of pounds to watch the abuse of children as young as nine. Between 2015 and 2017, investigators proved he made at least 158 payments to the Philippines, totalling over £8,500.
Predatory Planning and Directing Abuse
The court reported “vile” “behaviour” where Whiddett not only watched the abuse but actively directed it. In a 25-minute conversation on 28 September 2016, he instructed a woman on how to “teach” a young girl to prepare her for his physical arrival. Whiddett flew to Manila on 21 October 2016 with the explicit intent to “sexually abuse a child” during his visit.
Intelligence passed by the NCA to Filipino authorities led to the arrest of a facilitator and the safeguarding of six children, aged between three and 14. Despite his claims in interviews that the payments were for adult sex shows, the “serious” nature of his messages—including asking “If I visit what you allow me to do”—proved his intent to target minors.
Sentence and Lifetime Registration
Whiddett pleaded guilty to six charges, including attempting to incite girls under 13 and 16 to engage in sexual acts, live-streaming offences, and making indecent images of children. For his “vicious” actions in Portsmouth, Andrew Whiddett was:
- Sentenced to 38 months (three years and two months) in prison.
- Placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
- Subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Judge Nicholas Ainley emphasised that while Whiddett had been a “dedicated and courageous servant to his country,” his crimes were “soul-destroying” for his victims. The judge stated that children, regardless of where they are in the world, must be protected from such “abhorrent” “behaviour.”
Monitoring and Public Protection
Whiddett is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary. His residency in Portsmouth, Hampshire, and his history of “serious” international child exploitation remain under the most “serious” level of lifelong scrutiny.
Upon his release, Whiddett will be subject to strict notification requirements and the conditions of his SHPO, which include rigorous monitoring of his internet-enabled devices and travel. The NCA emphasise that “demand-side” offenders who pay for abuse from the comfort of their homes drive a global criminal industry and will be pursued relentlessly across international borders.
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