Simon Lancaster 44

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A paedophile had still not told his boss about his conviction for indecent images more than two months after admitting the offences in court.

Simon Lancaster, from Cardiff, was told by a judge that "anybody with any sense whatsoever" would come clean before police turn up at his workplace.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty on June 11 to two charges of possessing indecent photographs. None of the images were in category A — the most serious type — but one was in category B and three were in category C. Lancaster, of Hillrise in Pentwyn, committed the offences between January 2019 and November 2022.

Wearing a smart suit, Lancaster appeared at Cardiff Magistrates' Court to be sentenced on Wednesday. District Judge Stephen Harmes asked when he planned to tell his employer about his offences, to which Lancaster said: "When it's necessary." The judge replied: "Okay. Well it will be necessary when police knock on the door to put software in your computer in work because there's a sexual harm prevention order. So anybody with any sense whatsoever would get ahead of that and tell their employer. You don't want police turning up to your workplace and saying you're a sex offender. They could have clients there."

The court heard that Lancaster has no previous convictions and works in Treforest. After reading the probation service's pre-sentence report Judge Harmes said: "I agree with the recommendation of the report. I'm not going to send you to prison. I think there are things in the report I'm concerned about, so I'm going to impose 25 days of rehabilitation activity and a 24-month community order."

The judge added that it would be "absolutely right" for Lancaster to do unpaid work, but he feared this would disrupt his rehabilitation activity and his work, so he instead imposed a fine of £1,000. Lancaster was also ordered to pay a £114 victim services surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs at a rate of £200 per month. "You will have to have your employer put some software on any computer in work," said Judge Harmes. "I can't leave that door ajar a little bit because the temptation will be there.

"It seems you have been let off too easily. What you have done is very serious and what you cannot do now is do it again. You will not have this sort of leniency and be able to rebuild your life and continue in work twice. If it happens again you will be going to prison. Do you understand?" Lancaster nodded and said he did.

Lancaster's devices which were seized by police will be destroyed. He will be subject to police notification requirements for five years.