After completing a BA (Hons) in Geography from Durham University, Andrew worked in several different public-health and policing-related roles, principally in the charitable sector. He was awarded an MSc in Health Sciences from the University of York in 2013 and a PhD in Geography from University College London (UCL) in 2018.

His academic research has focused on different vulnerable populations, including people who use drugs, people living with dementia, young people, and indigenous people. His research and impact activities have been funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Royal Geographic Society (RGS-IBG).

Andrew joined the ESRC Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre in 2024 after completing an NIHR-funded study on the unmet treatment needs of crack and heroin users and dependent drinkers.

He will initially be working on two projects within the Centre. The first project is focused on mental health and routine police work, aiming to illustrate the techniques, models and intervention methods used by the police when responding to people with mental health vulnerabilities. The second project is focused on modern slavery, aiming to explore how preventative approaches could reduce demand on police services over the longer term.