SIMON FOUND FROM CASTLEMEAD JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ABUSE IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through Gloucestershire, particularly in the Castlemead area of Stroud, Simon Found, aged 21, has been sentenced to an indefinite prison term following a series of heinous crimes involving child abuse and possession of extreme child pornography. The severity of the material found in his possession was described by investigators as some of the worst they had ever encountered, highlighting the disturbing nature of his offenses.

During the hearing at Gloucester Crown Court, it was revealed that Found was a man with learning difficulties who had been subjected to bullying during his school years. His troubled background appeared to have contributed to his twisted and perverted interests, which he acted upon through the internet. Police authorities, alerted by the national Child Exploitation and Online Protection Service (CEOP), traced his activities back to his home in Castlemead, where a detailed investigation uncovered a disturbing collection of illegal material.

The police investigation was initiated after CEOP tipped off Gloucestershire authorities about Found’s online behavior. Canadian law enforcement agencies had also flagged his account while investigating another individual, as they uncovered images of abuse that Found had shared with a contact in Canada. This international cooperation underscored the global reach of online child exploitation networks and the importance of cross-border collaboration in tackling such crimes.

Found was charged with multiple serious offenses, including ten counts of making indecent images, four counts of sexually assaulting a young boy aged six, and three counts of distributing indecent photographs. The court heard that he had developed a disturbing obsession with children from a very young age, amassing over 12,000 child pornographic images on his computer. Evidence also indicated that he had actively distributed these images, further exacerbating the severity of his crimes.

The court was presented with harrowing evidence of Found’s physical abuse of a six-year-old boy. A folder on his computer contained twenty images taken from his phone, depicting him abusing the young male child earlier this year. Found had falsely claimed to the boy’s parents that he had a family of his own, including two children, in an attempt to conceal his true identity and intentions.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the case involved video clips classified at the highest level of severity, Level Five, which depicted horrific acts of abuse, including rape and torture of children ranging from infants to pre-pubescent minors. A police officer involved in the case described one such clip as “the worst he had ever come across in his six years of working in this field.” The material showed the extent of Found’s depravity, with some clips involving babies subjected to life-threatening acts.

Further investigation revealed that Found was not only a consumer of such material but also a webmaster of a paedophile website. He described this online platform as a forum where users could discuss societal taboos related to children and sexual abuse. Found admitted to searching for images of young boys from six months to twelve years old, archiving them, and transferring some into zip files for distribution. He expressed a preference for children from babies up to six years old, revealing a deeply disturbing sexual predilection.

In a chilling revelation, police found a folder containing images of Found abusing a young boy, aged six, which he had taken earlier this year. Found had lied to the boy’s parents, claiming to have a family and children of his own, further illustrating his manipulative and deceitful nature. The investigation also uncovered that Found had downloaded numerous images of children being abused, some of which had been shared with contacts abroad, including a man in Canada who possessed images of the same young victim.

Defending Found, solicitor Jonathan Challinor acknowledged the gravity of the offenses but argued that his client did not pose a risk of significant harm. Challinor emphasized Found’s guilty plea and honesty during interviews, suggesting that his early life experiences, including bullying and learning difficulties, contributed to his deviant behavior. He also highlighted Found’s apparent remorse and desire to change, asserting that he was only 21 years old and had ample opportunity for rehabilitation.

However, Judge Martin Picton was unequivocal in his assessment. He described Found’s actions as “very grave” and labeled him a “determined paedophile,” citing the disturbing nature of some of the images he had kept for personal gratification. The judge expressed that the material was “evil,” including a clip where a baby was subjected to a life-threatening ordeal. The judge concluded that Found posed a significant risk of reoffending and causing further harm, leading to his sentence of an indeterminate term. If it had been a fixed-term sentence, it would have been eight years, but due to the severity, the court ordered that Found serve at least three years and 145 days before being eligible for parole.

In addition to his imprisonment, Found was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subject to a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his access to children and the internet. It was also revealed that Found was a loner, struggling to find stable employment after leaving school. His social media presence included a racially abusive comment and a picture of him on a Bebo page riding a children's TV character, further illustrating his social isolation.

Chief Inspector David Wasley of Gloucestershire Police commented on the case, emphasizing that it demonstrated how quickly law enforcement can act once information is received. He highlighted the international nature of the investigation, noting that online offenses are a global issue and that offenders should not believe they are beyond the reach of justice.