Warrington paedophile found with 50,000 indecent images after NCA raid

As officers searched his home address in Glazebury, Simon Dean, of Hurst Mill Lane, asked officers: “I’m going to have to come clean, aren’t I?”

He then pointed out the devices – a laptop, a gigabyte tower, and an external hard drive – where National Crime Agency officers would be able to find indecent images of children.

On Tuesday, Liverpool Crown Court heard how the 53-year-old had 51,523 indecent images of children.

Prosecuting, Rebecca Smith said that of these, 3,188 were category A – the most severe rating involving child rape – while 4,240 were category B, and 46,888 were category C.

Ms Smith also said that there was a large number of videos, including category A material, and that there were indecent images of children as young as five.

She said that the period of time the images were possessed by the defendant was in excess of 10 years.

The court also heard how Dean’s search history revealed further activity relating to indecent images.

He was arrested in the early morning on January 14, 2022, after National Crime Agency officers attended his home address to carry out a search warrant.

Here, after telling Dean while they were there he admitted he was in possession of indecent images of children and said: “I am going to have to come clean, aren’t I?”

Defending, Rebecca Penfold said that her client has no previous convictions and that this is not a case where an immediate prison term must be imposed.

She said that in her submission, Dean has a ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’ and that the best way to reduce the risk he poses to the public in future is to compete programmes offered by the probation services.

During yesterday’s hearing, judge David Aubrey KC was due to pass sentence.

But he adjourned the case until next month in order for ‘further enquiries’ to be made by the Probation Service as to his suitability to undergo the Horizon sex offenders treatment programme.