GUY SIMS, BEDFORD BASED BARRISTER, SENTENCED FOR ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN OXFORD
A 53-year-old barrister from Bedford has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to arrange sexual encounters with what he believed were teenage girls online.Guy Sims was convicted by a unanimous jury at Oxford Crown Court on three counts related to facilitating or arranging child sex offenses.
In September 2017, Sims engaged in online conversations via social media platforms Mylol and Kik with two individuals he believed to be 13-year-old schoolgirls.
It was later revealed during the investigation that these victims were fictitious.
Sims, pretending to be an 18-year-old named 'markbatx' and 'markviva,' planned to meet one of these girls and traveled to Portsmouth with the intention of engaging in sexual activity.
He was arrested upon his arrival, where police found alcohol, a condom, and camouflage netting in his car.
On the same day, he also made arrangements to meet another girl while en route to or from Portsmouth for sexual purposes.
Further into the investigation in 2019, Sims communicated sexually with a third person, believing her to be a 13-year-old girl.
Using aliases such as 'Yo Sarami' and 'Danny.dan,' he scheduled a meeting in Oxford for sexual activity.
Regarding offenses committed in 2019, Sims, who was residing in Bedford, faced additional charges.
The court declared that Sims would be disqualified from practicing as a barrister.
The extensive investigation was conducted over four years by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).
Detective Chief Inspector Philip Attwood of SEROCU stated that Sims engaged in conversations of a sexual nature and planned to meet three girls he believed to be minors to commit child sexual abuse.
Sims, who worked as a civil barrister, was expected to be aware of the serious consequences of his actions.
His willingness to travel across Portsmouth, Guildford, and Oxford demonstrated a disturbing intent to carry out offenses involving minors.
His actions, facilitated by deception through online profiles, posed a significant threat and were only stopped thanks to the diligent efforts of law enforcement.
Law enforcement emphasizes their ongoing commitment to combating online child abuse and ensuring that offenders like Sims are held accountable.
