ROLAND SYMMONS FROM SNODLAND SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES NEAR MAIDSTONE AND DETLING
| Red Rose Database
Snodland Child Sexual Abuser
In a case that has shocked the local community of Snodland and the surrounding areas, Roland Symmons, a 40-year-old resident of Willowside, Snodland, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to multiple charges related to child pornography. The court heard that Symmons, a father of two, had a disturbing history of offenses involving indecent images of children, with previous convictions dating back to June 1998 when he served four months for similar charges.
The latest investigation was triggered by a police operation conducted in the United States, which uncovered that Symmons had received an indecent image of a child via email. This discovery led to a detailed examination of his computer, which was located at his former residence in Willowside, Snodland, although he no longer lived there but visited frequently.
Authorities found that the computer contained a significant number of chat logs indicating Symmons was actively seeking out individuals to exchange indecent photographs of children. The investigation revealed that he had sent six such images to unknown recipients through email. Additionally, the hard drive contained video clips depicting abuse, and there were approximately 80 images that had been deleted but could still be recovered.
Prosecutor Caroline Knight explained that the computer was also found to contain a large collection of illicit material, including images and videos of child abuse. Symmons initially responded evasively to questions but eventually made full admissions regarding his activities. The police found that he had been involved in the distribution and possession of indecent images, which is a serious criminal offense.
During the court proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, Symmons’s defense attorney, James Ross, emphasized that Symmons was a person who had been deeply affected by his actions. He pointed out that Symmons had expressed remorse and that only one of the images found on his computer was at the highest level of depravity, depicting a child who was gagged and subjected to sexual abuse. Mr. Ross argued that Symmons was an occasional user and had not accumulated a large number of images, suggesting that his offending was not as extensive as it might appear.
However, Judge Philip Statman highlighted the severity of the offenses, noting the disturbing nature of the images involved. He emphasized that Symmons’s history of offending, including his previous prison sentence, indicated a pattern of behavior that required strict intervention. The judge ordered that Symmons serve a custodial sentence of 15 months, with an additional period of supervision for 15 months following his release, to help prevent any future offending.
Furthermore, Symmons was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a decade and was prohibited from owning a computer or working with or being in the presence of children under 16 unless a parent was present. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which such offenses are treated, especially given the potential harm to vulnerable children and the importance of safeguarding measures in the community of Snodland and beyond.
The latest investigation was triggered by a police operation conducted in the United States, which uncovered that Symmons had received an indecent image of a child via email. This discovery led to a detailed examination of his computer, which was located at his former residence in Willowside, Snodland, although he no longer lived there but visited frequently.
Authorities found that the computer contained a significant number of chat logs indicating Symmons was actively seeking out individuals to exchange indecent photographs of children. The investigation revealed that he had sent six such images to unknown recipients through email. Additionally, the hard drive contained video clips depicting abuse, and there were approximately 80 images that had been deleted but could still be recovered.
Prosecutor Caroline Knight explained that the computer was also found to contain a large collection of illicit material, including images and videos of child abuse. Symmons initially responded evasively to questions but eventually made full admissions regarding his activities. The police found that he had been involved in the distribution and possession of indecent images, which is a serious criminal offense.
During the court proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, Symmons’s defense attorney, James Ross, emphasized that Symmons was a person who had been deeply affected by his actions. He pointed out that Symmons had expressed remorse and that only one of the images found on his computer was at the highest level of depravity, depicting a child who was gagged and subjected to sexual abuse. Mr. Ross argued that Symmons was an occasional user and had not accumulated a large number of images, suggesting that his offending was not as extensive as it might appear.
However, Judge Philip Statman highlighted the severity of the offenses, noting the disturbing nature of the images involved. He emphasized that Symmons’s history of offending, including his previous prison sentence, indicated a pattern of behavior that required strict intervention. The judge ordered that Symmons serve a custodial sentence of 15 months, with an additional period of supervision for 15 months following his release, to help prevent any future offending.
Furthermore, Symmons was placed on the sex offenders’ register for a decade and was prohibited from owning a computer or working with or being in the presence of children under 16 unless a parent was present. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which such offenses are treated, especially given the potential harm to vulnerable children and the importance of safeguarding measures in the community of Snodland and beyond.