Update from the author:
Thank you so much to everyone that has read, shared and engaged with this article. We’ve have over 30,000 views in less than 48 hours and the support for the victims yet to get justice has been overwhelming. As a result, I have set up a gofundme page to raise money for further legal fees should this case go to appeal, or to support the victims in whatever way they need. Please visit: Support fund for survivors of Jeffrey Anderson and consider making a donation to help bring these brave women the justice they deserve.
The story of Jeffrey Epstein, an international business mogul and sexual predator, who carried out horrific and violent sexual crimes against young women; his ability to escape the law by hiding behind his fortune – which offered him protection through hiring the best, most corrupt lawyers available – and his eventual suicide prior to facing sentencing may appear at first an abstract, distant, improbable tale. The grim truths of his power and privilege are the makings of Netflix documentaries involving private islands, celebrities and international court cases.
You may then be alarmed to discover that Northern Ireland has it’s very own answer to Jeffrey Epstein and like his (now deceased) predator contemporary, after his conviction, he remains free to walk the streets.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Anderson pleaded guilty on 27th May 2020 to 10 separate charges of voyeurism against 10 women, recording a female doing a private act for his own sexual gratification, knowing she did not consent to being recorded, sexually assaulting one woman, and assaulting one woman, occasioning her actual bodily harm. Prior to this, two charges of child sex abuse and possession of indecent images of a child were dropped, at that time, Jeff Anderson’s lawyer asked for “a presumption of innocence” – he pleaded guilty four years later.
Jeff Anderson is the son of Northern Irish PR and marketing leader Colin Anderson, OBE*. The self proclaimed ‘Godfather of Advertising in Northern Ireland’, Colin Anderson is the Director of ASG & Partners, a PR and marketing firm with clients that include The Electoral Commission, Queen’s University, Department for Education, M&S, Linwoods Foods, Department for Social Development and many more national businesses and government bodies. He is a former Chairman of Northern Ireland Screen and owns tech firm B-Secur.
Colin Anderson owns a number of other large companies, as well as Anderson House, where ASG & Partners is based on the Holywood Road, Belfast. He is a former director, now a member, of the NI Chamber of Commerce and according to companycheck.co.uk he currently owns liabilities worth £1.7m. Colin is a PR genius. And it’s exactly his PR mindset that has allowed any link to his son’s heinous crimes, the employment of his son within his company (even after prosecution) and his careful procuring of a reporting restriction on Jeff Anderson’s court case to be a difficult connection to make. Until now.
I have a personal connection to this case, not only because I went to school with Jeff and can easily recall the fact that his parents paid for the school rugby team to go on tour so that Jeff could secure a place in 6th year and other blatant displays of his family wealth – like his brand new black 4×4 SUV that he drove to school at age 18 – but also because if it wasn’t for circumstance, there’s every chance I could be one of his victims.
When I was 15 or 16 Jeff messaged me and told me he was going to a party with my then best friend Laura. I believed him. Laura’s boyfriend was on his rugby team so I assumed she was meeting him there. I had never had a boyfriend, or kissed a boy – I was a complete theatre nerd with two best friends and zero romantic prospects – but Jeff, 3 years my senior, had added me on MSN messenger as I had been in the senior school play with him. He never spoke to me in school, only on messenger.
I was flattered, even though I didn’t find him attractive and thought his insistence on singing all the time was pretty obnoxious and irritating. I knew he was popular and as a teenager, popularity is a currency you can’t buy into unless you’ve invested early. So I agreed to have him collect me from my house and take me to the party. He told me he knew where I lived because I lived next door to one of our teachers. I went out to his car, the black 4×4 SUV, and got in. On the seat was a Dominos pizza and he was wearing Canterbury tracksuit bottoms and his school rugby top – ‘weird choice of clothing for a party’ I thought, but didn’t vocalise.
We drove past Laura’s house and when I asked why we weren’t stopping to collect her, he said something about getting her later and stopping off at his first. We went to a house near our school. The house was very sparsely decorated and there were bottles of beers on the counter. He asked if I wanted one, or some pizza, and I declined.
When I’m feeling awkward or embarassed I shut down. I sat on the sofa, my face no doubt infantilised by my thick, robustly applied teenage make up, wearing leather leggings and a top, waiting to head to the party I was told my friend would be at. He started drinking a beer and my stomach sunk as I realised that would mean he couldn’t drive. He then started playing guitar and singing at me – something I’ve always found so cringeworthy to the point I can remember my arms feeling warm and tingly with uncomfortability. He asked me to join in and I said no. He started singing a song by the Kings of Leon and then asked me if I wanted a beer again. Again, I said no. He said he had lots of drinks; vodka, gin etc and he was right, the kitchen looked like a fully stocked bar.
By this point I was feeling incredibly awkward. I think he could sense it and he was clearly annoyed I wasn’t drinking. He started making fun of me in what I assumed was meant to be a playful manner. Asking me who I fancied in school, if I was a virgin; embarrassing, intrusive questions no teenage girl wants to answer to themselves, never mind to one of the most popular boys in school.
I honestly don’t remember how I left, I assume I made some sort of excuse. I can remember feeling overwhelmed with embarrassment and awkwardness walking home through the town centre late at night. I thought about how everyone would think I was a complete idiot if I told them I had gone to his house and walked away. He was popular, rich, powerful, in the rugby team and in favourable standing amongst everyone in the school. I never spoke about it again.
Fast forward to 2015 and I had a message from one of the only friends I told about that night asking if I lied about what happened and had actually slept with him – “NO! I honestly didn’t. Why?” – ‘Because he’s been arrested. For sexual assault, voyeurism, child sex abuse and loads more.’
I shouldn’t have to have a personal connection to this case for my anger at his three year suspended sentence to be valid, but the only thing separating me and many of my close friends from the women who have fought for justice for six years, to protect other women from him, is chance. Had he bought ciders instead of beers, perhaps I’d have had one. Had he bought a vegetarian pizza then maybe I’d have had a slice and got to chatting, drinking. Had I not been so uncomfortable in my own skin as a teenager then I might have felt more confident around this small town celebrity. Enough to allow me to share the sofa with him, relax into the evening a bit.
Jeffrey Anderson should not be able to hide behind his dad’s wealth. There should never be reporting restrictions issued on a case that involves 11 women and child sex offences. Jeffrey Anderson, like Jeffrey Epstein, Brock Turner and other wealthy sexual predators who have escaped the prison sentences they deserved shouldn’t be able to buy justice at the price of ruining the lives of women they’ve attacked and assaulted.
During the sentencing, which took place on 3rd July 2020, it was confirmed that Jeffrey Anderson now works for his dad’s advertising company, ASG & Partners ‘writing jingles and musical pieces’ and that ‘this work remains open to him.’ ASG & Partners clients include some of the biggest organisations and companies in Northern Ireland. Jeff Anderson should not be allowed to have access to any space in which he may come into contact with women who may fall victim to his predatory ways. The power that comes with the nepotism of being the son of a PR guru, whose company you now work for, is exactly the kind of situation in which someone as predatory as Jeff Anderson could abuse his power.
A three year suspended sentence for crimes as barbaric as videoing women whilst they urinated and assaulting and sexually abusing them, is an insult to the courage, strength and determination of his victims who spent six years of their lives under the cloud of trauma his abuse has caused them. Whilst Jeffrey Anderson was free to work on a cruise ship and travel the world.
Please share this article with #JeffAndersonIsAPredator, #ASGandpartners and #SuspendedIsNotEnough
We can’t put him behind bars and give these women their lives back, nor can we give them the justice they deserve. But we can make life uncomfortable for him and for his dad, who has insisted on protecting him at any cost. Let’s not let that cost be the freedom, dignity, courage and safety of women everywhere.
Firstly, the writing is truly excellent. Thank you for speaking truth to power and sharing your personal experience.
I like probably 100s of people worked for his father over the years. He was, as others have said a complete bully and borderline sociopath – definitely a nasty narcissist. He was unethical in business, compulsively lying to clients and staff. He used to bully clients nearly more than the staff – people were afraid of him.
However what struck me when I read this article was how much of a misogynist and homophone Colin was. He refused to hire gay men and pressured people to fire anyone who slipped through the net regardless of their ability.
He pushed both sons into ‘stardom’ pulling every favour he could muster. Kyle was in the band ‘six’ if you remember, briefly with Nadine Coyle.
Colin retains SO much power in NI which is WHY this dangerous young man is walking free.
I remember he felt wronged by Phoenix Gas once an account they do or did hold. Someone from ASG was in a meeting with Colin afterwards and heard him claim that people kept phoning him asking for job references for ‘Peter Dixon’. He said Colin said ‘I will make sure that he never gets another job in his life’. I Googled, Peter, an Englishman, he is still at Phoenix. Coincidence. That is power!
Is there a petition or something that we can sign to appeal his sentence? I’m sure it would gather thousands of signatures in a few days. This makes me so angry, I would like to do something about it.
Hey! I’m working on that tomorrow morning. I’ll update on here when I pull something together.
Thank you so much for writing this article and exposing these people. I too was a victim of Jeff and his sentencing has left me feeling very fragile. After 5 long years of fighting this I’ve been left with this huge, horrible, empty feeling. He gets a slap on the wrist while the rest of us get a kick in the gut. Its devastating. Heres to keeping on with the fight and demanding justice.
You are an incredibly brave person. I know first hand how devastating the court process is and I am so disappointed for you that this sentence was so wrong. Please know that many people that you have never even met are supporting you all. This is just the first in a long list of rude awakenings that Jeff will have in his life and a sad life it will be. You however, have an amazing future ahead of you. Anyone who can act with the determination that you all have during such a truly horrendous ordeal has proven strength and character. You are not alone x
You and the other girls are so brave – there are so many that are supporting you all.
You are not Jeff’s victim – you’re a SURVIVOR!
Hi Gemma have these girls appealed the sentance that Jeff Anderson received ?
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Gemma, this is a brilliant piece of writing that reaffirmed a lot of what I already knew but also taught me a few more things I wasn’t aware of. With respect, reading this genuinely made my skin crawl. He persistently pursued my friend for many years and we all found it extremely weird and slimy. I just feel guilty that I wasn’t clued up enough to call him out, but then again that’s how he got/gets away with it because we were young, impressionable girls. I remember a common trick was to offer lifts to girls in his 4×4 (at the end of a drunken night) and I always found it strange that a young man wanted to be the designated driver all the time but that one explains itself.
Kudos to you for speaking out about this. I think this piece, although maybe difficult to read is very much appreciated by his victims.
Sadly, I think a lot of woman can identify with your story, Gemma. I don’t know this individual or his family so can’t comment on him personally. But your story sounds all too familiar: being made to feel special by someone ‘popular’, being thought of as vulnerable enough to exploit….as a young woman I experienced an older male preying on me, being inappropriate… Thankfully, I didn’t suffer any physical abuse, but the embarrassment, shame and feeling like you must have done something wrong does stay with you. You are very brave speaking out like this. I think you’ll find it hard to get a female who DOESN’T identify with your experience. Which is the saddest part of all this.
I also worked for his father and faced his wrath because of this entitled brat. He has become everything I thought he would. His siblings on the other hand, were and I am sure remain lovely people. You are a brave and very supported young lady. Let us not be silenced by wealth as his father has done so well for him until now. Money does continue to talk!
Sadly and embarrassingly, I knew Jeff and, to a slightly lesser extent, his family over many years. Your personal story has all the hallmarks of authenticity because it sounds exactly like the sort of thing he would have done. Secondly, his father bailed him out of every mistake he made (there were many of them). I feel so sorry for all the women involved in this case and I hope they keep fighting for justice. I think many of us who knew him feel guilty that we didn’t see the signs of his behaviour earlier (although I don’t think anyone could have imagined the extent of his depravity). He was a compulsive liar from a young age who felt he was entitled to everything. He always passed responsibility on to others and blamed others for his own mistakes. He thought everything would be handed to him on a plate. He didn’t know how to form proper or meaningful friendships with people unless they could offer him something in return. But he was also hugely arrogant and not too intelligent – a dangerous combination.
I would just point out that his name was spelled ‘Jeffrey’, not ‘Jeffery’ (as was Epstein’s). This is not meant to criticise; I just wouldn’t want the credibility or integrity of an important article to be undermined by a spelling error.
You have been brave to write such an article. Sharing your own story and challenging an influential and well known man cannot have been easy.
Thank you! I didn’t realise they were different names. I think loads of outlets have mixed up his name between both spellings but I’ve just checked BBC and they have him as Jeffrey, so he and Epstein have even more in common.
I’ve had a lot of messages from men who knew him in school, expressing guilt and regret. I don’t speak for them but I imagine this is very healing to the victims as when they first came forward many faced backlash from men who knew him. In all honesty I thought a few hundred people might read it at a push. It’s just reached 22,000 and ASG & Partners have shut their social media down and removed Victim Support NI fro their websites as a client.
Thank you for your support and honesty. It’s clear he’s a sociopath with no capacity for empathy and will only re-offend, hopefully with support the victims can appeal and lock him up where he belongs.
Gemma I have to commend you for this article . Collin Anderson is a horrible man and I know this to be true. I am so so glad that someone has got these girls backs . Thank you
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Wow, fair play to you for writing this, yer man looks like scum.
Wow! Surely the subject of this excellent piece would not be foolish enough to twist his name as a moniker, and then cat call the writer to the point of defamation and commit a misuse of telecommunications???
SURELY not?
We checked the IP address and Andrew Jefferson has used a proxy. He’s really making it very, very easy for me to do my job right now.
Nobody:
Not a single soul :
Jeff: So I’m gonna go ahead and insist on playing guitar that noone asked for, lie to a young woman about my plans and make her very uncomfortable.
Sounds pretty on brand. Not a fabrication.
As someone who had the misfortune to know Jeff and his family well, the only thing this article reeks of is the absolute truth. This author has been brave enough to come out and relive what has happened to numerous girls and she was extremely lucky to get away unscathed. Jeff and his father are misogynistic psychopaths, and I believe his poorly veiled comment simply highlights this fact.
I can also attest to that! I used to work for his father who psychologically abused and bullied his employees. Two before me went off with nervous breakdowns. I made a very lucky escape but saw him for the first time in years just last year sitting in a restaurant and I started to physically shake, such was the affect he had on me. To me his father is even more guilty than the sin, but the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and I see this as a big dose of much deserved Karma with a capital ‘K’. His clients should all now be informed and shamed into moving agencies!
I’m afraid I’m going to have to disagree with you,
Jeffrey Epstein did not kill himself
Preach!
Thank goodness someone is prepared to put themselves out there and tell the truth. The reek of corruption is overwhelming, hopefully justice will be served for these poor girls by showing this family in it’s true light.
Wow!
Great piece of independenent journalism. Thank you. Just imagine someone’s daughter is sharing office with Jeffrey Anderson not knowing what his convictions are…
Well, if anyone was doubting this man’s misogyny, I guess his reply above has cleared up any of those doubts. Thanks for sharing your story. Too many predators use privilege to escape justice.
It’s so disturbing and a case like this that has destroyed young people’s lives for ever and this monster thinks he’s untouchable because of wealth is disgraceful and can not be covered up threw the law in some way he has to be brought back to the courts for a maximum sentence for destroying young people’s lives for ever shame on the law it has to change to protect our children from these Beasts
This article is complete trash and a fabrication. Reeks of jealousy from a girl everyone knew was a whore.
Have I upset you Jeff?
This person seems overly sensitive about this well written piece which above all, is a true story. Thank you for writing this. This family have been covering up the actions of this serial sex offender for far to long and have been getting away with it.
Wow. Keep going. Expose yourself further !
Well you seem to be overly sensitive about this article. Jeff Anderson is a serial sex offender (registered) and a predator and he has admitted this in court. In my opinion the more people know about this the better as women can make the choice to avoid him like the plague. I very much hope that upon appeal this extraordinarily light sentence is increased to include jail time.
Wow! I think someone is upset. Think the language used here says it all. Well done Gemma for speaking up.
Which part is trash, the serial offences he has pleaded guilty to? The only thing which is trash is the sentence, far too lenient.
Are you saying the son hasn’t ever done anything and is completely innocent, that he hasn’t been to court and sentenced?
Limp dick cunt
I would expect a responce like this from the person i think this is disgusting remark yo make I hope his clients are reading this
Wow……how utterly horrid.
Well that was pretty transparent, ‘Andy’. Your anger and frustration gets the better of common sense doesn’t it.
What A brilliant piece of writing. So glad someone has exposed this horrible family and their actions how would they have felt had it been their daughter however who knows