Blackpool paedophile dodged police on £60k houseboat trip

A convicted child sex offender dodged police for three years by cruising the canals across Britain.
A general view of Salthouse Dock
Photo: Google MapsA general view of Salthouse Dock
Photo: Google Maps
A general view of Salthouse Dock Photo: Google Maps

A court heard how 66-year-old Andrew Yeoman served a five-year jail term in France for sex offences against youngsters in what was then his home near Angouleme, in the south of France.

On release he was deported to the UK and lived on Blackpool Prom where he was immediately placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.

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A police officer visited his flat and told him about the requirements of being on the register.

However, in the following three years he failed to inform police he had left his address, gained a passport, travelled to Spain and opened two bank accounts.

Yeoman, whose £60,000 narrowboat is currently moored in Salthouse Dock, Liverpool, near to the Merseyside Police headquarters, admitted breaching the terms of his Sex Offenders’ order by not notifying police about his whereabouts.

Even if he was cruising with technically no fixed address he should have contacted police every seven days, Blackpool Magistrates Court was told.

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Pam Smith, prosecuting, said: “Over a long period of time he prevented the police managing him as a sex offender.”

“For three years he has been travelling the canals of the UK until someone alerted police to him.”

Howard Green, defending, said: “He claims he did tell someone at a police station that he was going to live on a camp site in Spain for three months.

“He had not got a postcode because he lives on the boat.

“He has the boat worth £60,000 and has £60,000 in the bank from selling his French home.

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“His memory of events is frankly abysmal but I believe he is a low risk offender.

“He is an isolated individual whose only friend is his dog. His barge is moored in a saltwater dock and should only be there for seven days or it could cause damage to the hull.”

Magistrates turned down an application for bail for Yeoman and sent him for sentence to Crown Court in custody.

He will appear at the higher court for a hearing on May 29.