SIMON HALLIDAY FROM RILLINGTON SENTENCED IN YORK FOR CHILD INDECENCY OFFENCES

In June 2020, Simon Halliday, a man with a troubling history of offenses related to indecent images of children, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison after being found in possession of over a hundred such images. Halliday, who resides in Rillington, was already under a strict court order aimed at restricting his internet activity when police uncovered the disturbing material at his home.

Halliday, aged 46, was caught with images believed to have been shared by other paedophiles on an online chat platform. The police investigation revealed that he had downloaded numerous indecent images, some of which he later deleted, in violation of a court order issued in 2012 following a previous conviction for similar offenses. The court heard that Halliday’s actions demonstrated a pattern of offending behavior that spanned over several years.

The arrest took place in January of that year at Halliday’s workplace in Harrogate. Subsequently, law enforcement officers seized his Huawei mobile phone from his residence in Malton. An examination of the device uncovered 73 indecent images of children, including eight classified as Class A, which is considered the most severe category of such material. Additionally, authorities found 109 images that were deemed “borderline,” featuring teenagers in various stages of undress. Although these images were not included in the formal charges, their presence indicated a troubling interest in underage individuals.

Police also discovered a significant number of deleted video files on the device, but these were not part of the charges brought against Halliday. During police questioning, Halliday admitted to deleting some images but denied accessing the “dark web” to seek out indecent material. Instead, he claimed to have visited a specific online chat forum where he engaged with others who shared similar fantasies. He confessed that his sexual fantasies involved “younger girls” and that he had watched some videos related to this.

Halliday, of Sledgate, Rillington, faced multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images of children and breaching a sexual-harm prevention order. The order prohibited him from deleting his internet history or using any internet-enabled device without informing police. The images found on his phone depicted girls aged between six and nine years old.

He appeared at York Crown Court via video link after being remanded in Hull Prison since his arrest. The court was informed that Halliday had a long history of offenses, with four previous convictions dating back to 2004. His past convictions included a nine-month jail sentence for 23 separate offenses involving indecent images, as well as breaches of protection and notification orders in 2013, 2015, and a subsequent two-year sentence in 2016 for similar crimes.

His latest offenses were committed in breach of a separate order issued in 2012 by Hull magistrates, which was intended to last ten years and prevent him from deleting or manipulating internet images sent or received. When questioned in court, Halliday expressed remorse, stating he was “disappointed with myself” and reflecting on his past behavior with sadness.

Judge Simon Hickey condemned Halliday’s actions, emphasizing that his online search terms indicated deliberate efforts to find indecent images. The judge sentenced him to 22 months in prison, noting his repeated disobedience of court orders and the vulnerability of the children depicted in the images. Halliday will serve half of his sentence behind bars before being released on license. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and placed under a new sexual-harm prevention order, which includes nine specific restrictions. These restrictions prohibit him from using the internet without oversight, living or staying in households with children under 16, or having any contact with minors intentionally.

In a related incident in January 2020, Halliday, then aged 45, pleaded guilty at York Magistrates’ Court to multiple offenses involving indecent images of children. He was arrested by North Yorkshire Police’s Online Abuse and Exploitation Team and charged with making indecent pseudo-photographs of children across various categories, including eight in the most severe Category A. He also faced charges for deleting internet history in breach of a previous sexual risk order issued in August 2012. Halliday admitted guilt and was scheduled for sentencing at York Crown Court on February 12, 2020, marking another chapter in his ongoing criminal behavior related to child exploitation.