A man from Kilburn has been jailed for three years and six months after a Met Police investigation found he was distributing indecent images of children and communicating with young victims online.
Simon Hynes, 41, of Douglas Road, Brent, was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on Wednesday, 30 July. He had earlier pleaded guilty to 20 offences at Southwark Crown Court on 24 April.
The charges included:
- Three counts of taking indecent images of children
- Three counts of distributing indecent images of children
- One count of possession of extreme images
- Thirteen counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child
The investigation began in December 2022 when officers received reports that Hynes was in possession of indecent images. When he was arrested, police seized several devices, along with knives, a machete and an axe.
Hundreds of indecent images were recovered from his phones, along with chat logs showing that Hynes had been communicating with children as young as eight. He was also found to be encouraging children to sexually abuse their siblings.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Kelleher, who led the investigation, said: “My thoughts are with those children and families who have been harmed by Hynes’ offending online over a number of years. We will continue working to identify and support survivors of this kind of abuse.
“The Met is working hard to pursue predators, and this sentencing is testament to the investigation team who worked diligently to build a file of evidence and ensure Hynes was not free to cause further harm to children.
“Their commitment has undoubtedly prevented further suffering, and they are a credit to the Met.”
Detective Sergeant Callum Mantell added: “The Met is prioritising violence against women and girls and this case demonstrates our commitment to tackling these offences in all forms, while ensuring those impacted are safeguarded and supported.
“We believe there may be further children impacted and urge anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of Hynes to come forward and speak to officers.”
Police are now working to identify potential victims to ensure they receive support.
Anyone affected is urged to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Support is available from the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or at www.nspcc.org.uk.
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