Convicted paedophile claimed Leeds police had downloaded app that hides internet history
Pervert caught more sickening abuse images on his devices
A paedophile convicted of downloading vile child-abuse images has been caught again, but desperately tried to blame police for part of his offending.
Jacob Simpson was found with more than 100 illegal photos and the software to cover his tracks. He tried to claim the police had downloaded the software when they came to inspect his devices.
But the judge at Leeds Crown Court dismissed his claim calling it a “deliberate attempt to circumvent” a court order.
However, Simpson avoided jail for a second time but was told it is a “last opportunity”.
The court was told that the 29-year-old was given a community order in February last year for possessing abuse images. He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and put on the sex offender register.
The SHPO is designed to curb his internet use and is monitored by public-protection officers. They visited his address on Tyas Grove, Osmondthorpe, on the morning of February 20 this year to check his devices.
He handed over a phone and they immediately found a DuckDuckGo app in a locked file, an app which does not store browser history. It immediately put him in breach of his SHPO.
They seized the device. Police later received a complaint from Simpson’s solicitor, claiming that his client alleged that it was the officer who had downloaded DuckDuckGo to the phone.
Investigations found it had actually been downloaded by Simpson in the early hours of Christmas Day last year.
He was arrested and more devices recovered.
They eventually found 124 indecent images her had stored, including 51 Category A - the most seriously involving the rape of children.
During his interview, Simpson gave a largely no-comment.
He later admitted three counts of possessing indecent images and multiple breaches of his SHPO.
Mitigating, Rachel Webster said Simpson was “surprised” about the DuckDuckGo app and could have “inadvertently” installed it.
Ms Webster said now has a new job working in Burnley and added: “He has stability that he has never had before. He is now living with his family with a structured routine and environment.”
She said he has been diagnosed with autism and has a new social circle.
Judge Colin Burn told Simpson: “These are, in some respect, repeated offences. You have some vulnerabilities, that’s quite clear.”
But he refused to accept the notion that he accidentally downloaded the app, telling him: “It was a deliberate attempt to anonymise browsing.
“It points very clearly to a deliberate attempt to circumvent the SHPO.”
He handed him a 16-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation days with probation and 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was given a new 10-year SHPO and put on the sex offender register for 10 years.
He warned Simpson: “This is your last opportunity and matters are, frankly, in your hands.”