SIMON DICLAUDIO FROM GURNEY SLADE SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY TEXTS IN WELLS

In February 2012, Simon Diclaudio, a known sex offender from the small village of Gurney Slade, was brought to justice for a series of disturbing and predatory actions targeting teenage girls in the city of Wells. The case revealed a pattern of malicious behavior involving the distribution of contact details and the subsequent sending of sexually explicit messages, which caused significant concern among the victims and the local community.

According to court reports, Diclaudio had been leaving scraps of paper bearing his name and mobile phone number throughout Wells, particularly in the city centre, in an apparent attempt to lure young girls into communication. Once contacted, he responded with a barrage of text messages of a sexual nature, including the shocking exchange of an indecent photograph of a male and explicit requests for nude images from girls aged between 12 and 17. The court was also shown evidence that he had sent a picture of a naked young girl to a boy he was texting at the same time, further illustrating his disturbing behavior.

One of the victims, a 15-year-old girl, recounted that in September 2010, she was overwhelmed by Diclaudio’s persistent messages after she asked to be left alone. She described feeling frightened as he continued to contact her, asking for pictures and personal details despite her clear requests for him to stop. The following month, a 14-year-old girl began receiving similar messages. Initially, the communication was casual, but it quickly escalated when Diclaudio inquired about her residence and age. The girl, fearing her safety, told him to leave her alone, mentioning that her father was a police officer. Diclaudio responded with a chilling remark, claiming, “He will know me, as I am a paedophile.”

Further distress was caused when a 16-year-old girl found two pieces of paper with Diclaudio’s name and number. After she responded to his messages, she received approximately 200 texts. When she declined to continue chatting, Diclaudio attempted to convince her that he was of her age, trying to deceive her into believing he was a peer. In December, a 17-year-old girl received unwanted texts, and in January, a 15-year-old girl was subjected to a large volume of abusive messages. The victims expressed their fears that Diclaudio might discover their identities, adding to their distress.

The police investigation was initiated after one of the victims’ mothers contacted authorities in January. Diclaudio was identified through one of his mobile phone numbers. During his arrest, officers recovered two mobile phones and a list of 25 phone numbers from his residence. A handwriting expert also confirmed that Diclaudio had written a note found in the city, linking him directly to the evidence.

It was also revealed that Diclaudio had a criminal history in Wells, including convictions for exposure in 2009 involving a 62-year-old woman, a 14-year-old girl near Wells Cathedral School, and two separate incidents involving a 15-year-old girl. He had previously received a caution in February 2010 for sending a message to a female expressing a desire to see her beaten up. All these offenses occurred within Wells, where he was a resident.

During the court proceedings, his defense attorney, Patrick Mason, highlighted that Diclaudio had a place to stay with his mother in Shepton Mallet and had been on remand for approximately seven months. Mason emphasized that Diclaudio had never physically harmed anyone and argued that he needed support and assistance.

Judge Graham Hume Jones acknowledged Diclaudio’s troubled background and expressed particular concern given his prior convictions for exposure and his participation in a sex offenders’ program at the time of the current offenses. Ultimately, Diclaudio was sentenced to 28 months in prison after admitting to six counts of harassment and three counts of inciting child pornography. The court also ordered him to participate in a sex offenders’ program until further notice, banned him from working with children, and mandated that he sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years. Additionally, his mobile phones were confiscated and forfeited as part of the sentence.