SIMON ANDERSON CAUGHT WITH NEARLY 40,000 CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN OTTERY ST MARY AND TROWBRIDGE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Ottery St Mary and Trowbridge, Simon Anderson, a man with a history of working as a teacher, was found to be in possession of an alarming number of child abuse images. The police uncovered nearly 40,000 such images stored across six different computers, which Anderson had hidden beneath his bed. This discovery was made during a raid conducted in August of the previous year, following investigations into his online activities.

Authorities traced Anderson’s digital footprint to file sharing websites notorious for hosting illegal content. His IP address had been used to access these sites, raising suspicions that prompted the police to act. An examination of his computer files revealed search terms that indicated he actively sought out and downloaded child abuse material over a span of 13 years. Some of this activity coincided with his tenure as a teacher, adding a deeply troubling dimension to the case.

Despite the sheer volume of images—totaling approximately 39,259 that police managed to analyze—the majority of the material, around three million images, remained unexamined due to resource limitations. The images that were scrutinized showed that only a small fraction depicted severe abuse, but the presence of such content was enough to warrant serious legal action.

When questioned, Anderson, aged 63 and now residing on Rutland Crescent in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, admitted to possessing and creating indecent or prohibited images of children, as well as possessing extreme pornography. His cooperation with authorities was noted during the proceedings.

At Exeter Crown Court, Judge Peter Johnson sentenced Anderson to a two-year community order, which includes 30 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, Anderson was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years and was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order. This order grants police the authority to monitor his internet usage to prevent further offenses.

The judge acknowledged Anderson’s previous good character and his substantial career as a teacher, stating, “You have been a teacher for a substantial period of time and performed a great deal of creditable work. You are of good character and cooperated with police from the outset.” The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat online child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from harm.