SIMON HERMES BRAINWASHED BY OBSESSION WITH ALIENS CAUGHT WITH 10,000 CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES IN BRAINTREE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Braintree, Simon Hermes, a 48-year-old welder, was found to be in possession of an alarming collection of child sexual abuse images, numbering over 10,000 in total. The police raid on his residence in June of the previous year uncovered a horrifying stash stored across multiple hard drives, with eight drives seized during the operation. Of these, five contained explicit images depicting the abuse of children, some of the most vile and disturbing material known to law enforcement.

Hermes, who resides on High Street in Braintree, admitted to possessing and downloading indecent images of children during proceedings at Chelmsford Crown Court earlier this year. The court was informed that he had in his possession 531 images classified as Category A, which is the most severe level of child abuse material. Additionally, he had amassed 10,405 images in Category B and 468 in Category C, illustrating a significant and prolonged engagement with this illicit material.

Throughout the court hearing, it was revealed that Hermes suffers from recurrent depressive disorder, a mental health condition that has led him to attempt self-harm through overdoses on multiple occasions. His personal history is marked by tragedy, including the death of his mother from breast cancer six years prior and the suspected suicide of his partner, who was believed to have taken her own life due to illness. These circumstances have contributed to his psychological vulnerability, which the court acknowledged.

Judge David Turner QC addressed the court, emphasizing the gravity of Hermes’s actions and the complex considerations involved in sentencing. He stated, “The court faces a dilemma when coming to sentence men like you. You have sufficient understanding and intelligence to recognize these are by no means victimless crimes. Every single one of these children featured in the images you have been looking at for a number of years are someone’s daughter or son. Often the lives of these children are permanently damaged.”

Despite the severity of the crimes, the judge also recognized Hermes’s mental health struggles and his isolated lifestyle. He remarked, “You possess some strange views and obsessions not related to sex and there is no doubt at all you have led an isolated life. You are very obviously psychologically if not psychiatrically vulnerable.”

Ultimately, Hermes was sentenced to 14 months in prison, with each count served concurrently and suspended for two years. As part of his sentence, he is required to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, attend 20 days of rehabilitation activities, and adhere to a five-year sexual harm prevention order that restricts his internet usage. Furthermore, he will be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to prevent further harm.