Paedophile Caught with 1,000+ Child Abuse Images Sentenced

A paedophile from Sudbrook has been handed a suspended sentence after being caught with more than 1,000 indecent images of children, including victims as young as four years old. 😠⚖️

Simon Heron, 58, of Sea View, initially lied to police claiming he had “stumbled upon” the images whilst searching for adult pornography and denied any sexual interest in children.

However, Newport Crown Court heard that officers discovered the defendant had deliberately searched for terms including “jailbait” and “Lolita” to find the horrific material.

Prosecutor Bethan Evans told the court: “The defendant said he had not gone looking for them and was not sexually attracted to children. He was specifically looking for indecent images of children.”

The court heard Heron possessed 141 category A images showing victims being raped, 177 category B images, and 885 category C images. Much of the material showed children aged between four and six being sexually assaulted, with one image showing a victim who had been tied up.

Defence solicitor Sophie Jones said: “He is deeply ashamed and embarrassed by being before the court today and in losing his previous good character. The defendant is remorseful for his actions and can be rehabilitated.”

She added that Heron lived a “lonely and isolated life” and helps care for his mother.

Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant noted that Heron’s pre-sentence report revealed he had been “thrill-seeking” and had confessed “you liked looking for things that shocked you”.

Heron pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children between June 2014 and January 2024. He received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months, must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a 10-day rehabilitation programme.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order until 2035.