SIMON DICKINSON FROM WEST DERBY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE AND DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD RAPE VIDEOS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of West Derby, Simon Dickinson, a 44-year-old man, was found guilty of engaging in heinous acts involving the exploitation and abuse of children. The criminal activities came to light after police investigations uncovered a series of disturbing online behaviors, including the sharing and distribution of child abuse material through various social media platforms.

It was revealed that Dickinson was actively involved in a group chat on Kik Messenger called 'TeenTinyGirl,' where members exchanged graphic videos and images depicting children being raped. The comments within this chat were equally appalling, with participants using terms like 'sexy,' 'nice,' and even expressing a desire to 'trade' children, highlighting the depravity of the group’s discussions.

The investigation intensified when Dickinson was identified as a user of Snapchat, where he uploaded indecent images of children. Authorities traced his IP address back to his residence in West Derby, leading to his arrest on November 24 of the previous year. During questioning, Dickinson initially denied any involvement, but subsequent evidence proved otherwise.

Prosecutor Derek Jones outlined the extent of Dickinson’s criminal conduct during a court hearing at Liverpool Crown Court. The police uncovered a staggering collection of illegal content, including 58 images of child rape, eight of which were videos, along with 266 other images of child sexual abuse, 15 of which were videos. The children depicted in these videos were estimated to be between six and ten years old.

Further investigation revealed that Dickinson had shared links to videos of child rape with seven other individuals from his computer, shortly before his arrest. Evidence indicated that recipients of these links not only received them but also expressed approval of the content through their comments. This demonstrated a disturbing network of distribution and approval of child abuse material.

In total, Dickinson had shared 75 videos depicting child rape, along with 81 videos of other forms of child sexual abuse, and even included a still image of an adult woman being raped. His actions are compounded by his previous criminal record, which includes convictions related to drugs and alcohol from 2002 and 2008.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge David Aubrey, QC, condemned Dickinson’s actions, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes. The judge stated, 'Notwithstanding the fact you may be an isolated and lonely man, you were immersed in sexual depravity concerning children.' He further highlighted that Dickinson’s possession and distribution of these images were direct acts of child abuse, perpetuating the suffering of the victims.

Judge Aubrey described Dickinson’s involvement as actively participating in a network specifically designed to facilitate the sharing of such heinous material, which he regarded as a serious aggravating factor. The court sentenced Dickinson to two years and six months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same duration, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to society.