SIMON FLEET CAUGHT IN FISHGUARD: PAEDOPHILE'S REPEATED BREACHES LEAD TO JAIL TIME

In August 2020, Simon Fleet, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, found himself back behind bars after violating a court-imposed order aimed at restricting his access to the internet and prevent further offending. Fleet, who resides on West Street in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, had previously been convicted of serious sexual crimes and was under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) since 2018. This order was put in place after he was caught by paedophile hunters attempting to meet what he believed was an underage girl for sexual activity.

During a routine police visit to his residence in July of that year, officers conducted a check on Fleet as part of ongoing community monitoring. The police inquiry revealed that Fleet had secretly signed up to WhatsApp and had taken steps to delete his chat history, despite being explicitly banned from doing so under the terms of his SHPO. When asked about his devices, Fleet initially claimed to have an Alcatel mobile phone that he had previously notified authorities about. However, he was reluctant to hand over the device, instead attempting to show the officers its contents.

Subsequent searches of the phone uncovered that Fleet had installed WhatsApp and had deliberately erased his conversations. Further investigation revealed that he had joined multiple online dating platforms and had conducted searches for terms such as “teen virgin,” which raised serious concerns about his intentions and compliance with the court order. These actions constituted clear breaches of the SHPO, which explicitly prohibited him from accessing certain online services and engaging in activities that could facilitate further offending.

Fleet, aged 46 at the time, was charged with three counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order. The court was informed that he had a long history of sexual offenses, with six previous convictions covering nine separate incidents. Notably, in June 2019, he was found to have again secretly registered on dating sites, violating the terms of his earlier breach of the same order.

His criminal record also includes a significant conviction from February 2018, when he was sentenced to 28 months in prison for attempting to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity and for attempting to meet a minor after engaging in sexual grooming online. In that case, Fleet believed he was communicating with a young girl, but in reality, he was interacting with an adult member of a paedophile hunter group. His arrest occurred at Pembroke Dock train station when he arrived for what he thought was a meeting with the girl, only to be confronted and detained by police.

During the recent hearing, Fleet’s defense attorney, David Singh, highlighted that his client had suffered a head injury as a teenager, which he claimed continued to impact his health. Despite this, Fleet pleaded guilty to the breaches, and Judge Christopher Vosper QC sentenced him to 12 months in prison, giving him a one-third reduction for his guilty pleas. The judge also ordered that Fleet serve up to half of his sentence in custody before being released on license. The existing 10-year SHPO was allowed to remain in effect, ensuring continued monitoring of Fleet’s activities.

In summary, Simon Fleet’s repeated violations of court orders and his ongoing attempts to access online platforms for illicit purposes underscore the persistent danger he poses. His case highlights the importance of strict enforcement of sexual harm prevention measures and the ongoing efforts by authorities to prevent reoffending among individuals with a history of sexual crimes.