Voice star Jeffrey Anderson admits sex offences - including secretly recording women

Last week 29-year-old Jeffrey Anderson pleaded guilty to a string of sex offences, which can be reported after Downpatrick Crown Court Judge Geoffrey Miller QC lifted reorting restrictions in the case.

Judge Miller, sitting in Belfast’s Laganside Courthouse for the video-linked remote hearing, lifted a set of reporting restictions which were first imposed in 2016.

At the hearing last week Anderson - nicknamed ‘Baby Jesus’ while touring in the UK production of Jesus Christ Superstar - appeared via a videolink from the office of solicitor Joe Rice.

He admitted that between April 2005 and April 2007, for his own sexual gratification, he recorded a female doing a private act, knowing she did not consent to being recorded.

Anderson then pleaded guilty to a further 10 separate charges of voyeurism against 10 other women committed from April 2005 to August 2013 - some of whom also attended the remote hearing via videolink.

In addition, he admitted sexually assaulting one of his victims between January 1, 2012 and March 11, 2012, and of assaulting another woman, occasioning her actual bodily harm, on a date between October 21 and 31, 2015.

Following the pleas, Judge Miller asked defence QC Greg Berry whether reports would be sought on Anderson ahead of sentencing.

Mr Berry said both a pre-sentence and a medical report were “in hand” and should be ready next month.

Crown barrister Ken McMahon QC said the Crown will be seeking Victim Impact Statements from complainants.

He also revealed that as two of the complainants were under 18 at the time of the offences.

The Crown will also be asking that Anderson is made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Judge Miller set the date for sentence as July 3, then addressed Anderson, who appeared via videolink with solicitor Paul Dougan. Telling Anderson he had pleaded guilty to “very serious charges”, the Judge said he now needed to co-operate fully with both Probation and the doctor “with regard to the reports.”

Anderson was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and was told by Judge Miller that the time period will be determined when sentenced in July.

The charges came after he competed in two prime-time TV singing shows - Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Superstar, in 2012, and The Voice in 2014.

Anderson also toured with a UK production of Jesus Christ Superstar following his high profile appearances in Superstar.