FERNANDO RABANEDA FROM OXFORD CAUGHT WITH OVER 1,000 INDECENT CHILD IMAGES
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Oxford, Fernando Rabaneda, a 47-year-old laboratory technician, was found to possess an alarming collection of indecent images of children.The incident came to light in August 2017 when police executed a search warrant at his residence on Westlands Drive, uncovering a disturbing cache of digital material.
During the raid, authorities seized a Hewlett-Packard computer, which, upon detailed analysis, revealed a total of 1,108 images classified as Category C, the lowest level of severity in such offenses.
In addition, there were five images categorized as Category B and four as Category A, indicating the most serious nature of the material.
The police also discovered three prohibited images of children, which are explicitly banned under law.
The images found on Rabaneda’s computer depicted children as young as four years old, with the majority of the photographs featuring girls aged between eight and twelve.
Investigators also uncovered search terms such as “pre-teen models,” suggesting a deliberate intent to find and view such material.
These findings raised serious concerns about the extent of his offending and the potential harm caused to the victims depicted.
At Oxford Crown Court, Rabaneda appeared to face the charges, which included three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.
His defense lawyer, Lucy Ffrench, argued that her client had developed an addiction to adult pornography, which subsequently led him into a pattern of searching for and viewing indecent images of minors.
She emphasized that Rabaneda’s feelings of loneliness and social isolation had contributed to his offending behavior, attempting to mitigate the severity of his actions.
However, the presiding judge, Maria Lamb, delivered a stern sentence, emphasizing the gravity of the offense.
She stated, “You understand the devastating impact of sexual abuse and the victims of sexual abuse.
Each one of these children shown in the images is a victim of sexual abuse.
People like you who look at this material do create a market and a demand.” As part of his punishment, Rabaneda was handed an 18-month community order.
This includes a requirement to participate in rehabilitation activities for 30 days and to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, he is mandated to pay court costs amounting to £535, and he will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
Furthermore, Rabaneda is required to sign the sex offenders register for a period of five years, reflecting the seriousness with which the court views his offending behavior.
