MAIDSTONE PAEDOPHILE ROLAND SYMMONS CAUGHT WITH DOG SEX DVD AND CHILD PICTURES
In May 2023, authorities in Maidstone uncovered disturbing evidence during an unannounced visit to the home of Roland Symmons, a man with a long history of sexual offenses and restrictions.The police had reason to suspect Symmons was violating the conditions of his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which had been imposed upon him nearly two decades earlier.
Symmons, a 57-year-old resident of Ruskin Road in Maidstone, had previously served time in prison for possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
His criminal record includes a 15-month sentence in 2005, following charges of possessing and sharing indecent photographs of minors.
The court at Maidstone Crown Court heard that Symmons had a severe and troubling addiction to viewing such images, which led to multiple convictions dating back to the late 1990s.
His earlier convictions also included a four-month jail term in June 1998 for similar offenses involving indecent images of children.
Additionally, in August 2001, Symmons was imprisoned for eight months after an incident involving public decency at a 'dogging' lay-by off the A249 near Maidstone, where he engaged in lewd acts in front of a woman and a dog.
Following his 2005 conviction, Symmons was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
This order explicitly prohibited him from owning a computer and from working with or being in the company of children under 16 unless a parent was present.
Despite these restrictions, police had previously identified a breach when they discovered Symmons had a Facebook account featuring a photograph with a child, which was a violation of his SHPO.
On May 21, 2023, police officers visited Symmons’ residence in Ruskin Grove, Maidstone, to conduct a routine check on his compliance with the court order.
During the search, they uncovered a DVD titled “Dog House,” which contained footage of a woman performing a sexual act with a dog.
The officers also found that Symmons possessed an internet-enabled device, which he was explicitly barred from having at his home under the terms of his SHPO.
Further investigation revealed that Symmons had been in possession of multiple illegal images.
He was charged with three offenses: possessing extreme pornographic material, possessing images of children—contrary to the restrictions of his SHPO—and possessing an internet-enabled device.
Symmons admitted to all three charges when he appeared before magistrates in Medway on May 22.
During the court proceedings, it was noted that Symmons refused to disclose the identity of the child in a photograph found on his Facebook account, which he was not permitted to have.
Prosecutor James Nichols explained that the police had observed the Facebook image showing Symmons with a child, breaching his order.
The DVD titled “Dog House” was also discussed, with the court being informed that there was no evidence to suggest Symmons possessed any indecent images of children apart from those involving his grandchildren, which he had the right to possess.
District Judge Stephen Leake reviewed the case and acknowledged that Symmons’ SHPO had been in place for 18 years.
The judge was informed that Symmons had been married for 22 years and was a father of two children and four grandchildren, who appeared in the images on his devices.
The court also recognized that technology had advanced significantly since the original order was issued, and that the device found at Symmons’ home was intended for work purposes.
However, due to the age of the order, it did not specify restrictions on the use of such devices from his residence.
Given the seriousness of the violations, Judge Leake ordered a pre-sentencing report to be prepared and granted Symmons bail until his sentencing hearing, scheduled for June 14 at the same court.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of long-standing restrictions and the challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring offenders in the digital age.
