SIMON LAWS FROM HEMEL HEMPSTEAD ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE DISTURBING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the community of Hemel Hempstead, Simon Lawes, a former police officer, was found to possess an alarming collection of child abuse images, including some of the most disturbing kind. The investigation was triggered after Lawes’ ex-partner, Susan Smith, requested her new boyfriend to check a bag Lawes had left at her residence in Hemel Hempstead, suspecting it contained DVDs. The boyfriend’s discovery of indecent images prompted immediate police action, leading to a dawn raid on Lawes’ home in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in October of the previous year.

During questioning, Lawes, aged 57 and a former soldier, admitted to viewing such material during his work, which raised questions about his conduct and the extent of his involvement. Authorities examined his computers, including one previously used by the City of London police, uncovering a staggering collection of illicit content. The devices contained 348 movies, with 228 classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, 101 at Category B, and 19 at Category C, the least serious. Additionally, investigators found 2,134 indecent images of children, with 912 at Category A, 605 at Category B, and 617 at Category C.

Among the most disturbing findings were 212 extreme images involving sexual acts with animals, including horses, dogs, and pigs. The majority of the images depicted girls around the age of ten, but shockingly, one image showed an 18-month-old baby being raped. These findings underscored the severity and depravity of the material Lawes had collected.

Lawes faced multiple charges, including 12 counts of making (downloading) indecent photographs of children, two counts of possessing indecent images, and one count of possessing extreme pornography. He pleaded guilty to all charges, despite having no prior convictions. His defense argued that Lawes was of good character, highlighting his nine years of service in the British Army, including a posting in Northern Ireland, which he described as a difficult period. His lawyer also revealed that Lawes had been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and had been self-medicating with alcohol since 1978, describing him as a “functioning alcoholic.”

Judge Michael Baker QC acknowledged the disturbing nature of the images and the impact on the victims, stating, “Quite clearly these are seriously disturbing images and in the course of making them the lives of a number of children will have been significantly affected.” While considering a prison sentence, the judge ultimately decided to suspend the 12-month jail term for two years, taking into account Lawes’ background. The court also imposed an 18-month supervision order, requiring Lawes to attend an alcohol treatment program, adhere to a nine-week curfew from 7 pm to 5 am, and comply with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Additionally, Lawes is required to sign the sex offender register for ten years, and his computers and storage devices were forfeited. He was ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £100, but no immediate imprisonment was enforced.