SIMON GUERRERO, DEVIZES IT EXPERT, SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

In August 2017, Simon Guerrero, a 47-year-old IT specialist from Devizes, was convicted of possessing indecent images of children and was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years. Guerrero had falsely claimed during his trial that the illegal images found on his computer had been planted there by someone accessing his machine remotely. However, the prosecution systematically dismantled this explanation during the case at Swindon Crown Court, leading the jury to find him guilty.

During the sentencing phase, Guerrero’s own father, speaking to a probation officer, revealed that his son admitted responsibility for the images and expressed shame about his actions. Guerrero resided at Bowes Court, Thomas Wyatt Road, Devizes, and was charged with eight counts of making indecent images of children, dating from May 2001 to July 2015.

Police had responded to his home after receiving information from the FBI in the United States, which had traced his online activity. Investigations uncovered images on Guerrero’s computer, including a disturbing picture of a young girl between six and eight years old being raped by an adult male. Further investigation revealed Guerrero had used search engines to seek out similar illicit material.

Defense lawyer Philip Warren described Guerrero as a 'high achiever' who owns an IT company with an annual turnover of approximately £100,000. Warren noted that Guerrero had recently faced financial difficulties, including a client defaulting on a £50,000 invoice and that Guerrero was paying £950 monthly in maintenance to his ex-wife and child. He also mentioned Guerrero's understanding that it would have been wiser to avoid a trial.

Judge Robert Pawson delivered the sentence, stating, “Mr. Guerrero, you are 47 years old, an IT expert. You did your best to hide your activities, which spanned several years. You accessed sites with images of children being sexually exploited. It’s clear you are intelligent, and it cannot have escaped your attention that somewhere in the world, there is a little girl being forced to perform sexual acts, which will likely scar her for life. People like you who access such material fuel the market that leads to the abuse of children.” The judge emphasized that Guerrero’s actions contribute to ongoing abuse and exploitation.

The court sentenced Guerrero to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years, with supervision and a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Additionally, a ten-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed, requiring Guerrero to remain under restrictions consistent with his registration as a sex offender.

Earlier in July 2017, Guerrero was released on bail after being convicted of these charges. Despite pleading not guilty initially, a jury found him guilty of all eight counts of making indecent images of children, referencing the same period from May 2001 to July 2015. During the trial, Guerrero denied the allegations, claiming he had not created the illegal material, but the jury did not believe his account. The case was adjourned to a later date, during which Guerrero remains released on bail until the sentencing hearing.