Former teacher found with almost 40,000 child abuse images on six computers


A former teacher was found with almost 40,000 child abuse images on six computers which police found hidden under his bed.
Simon Anderson downloaded the images from file sharing websites over 13 years, which included some of the time when he was working as a teacher.
Only a handful of the 39,259 images showed serious abuse.
There were three million images which the police did not have the resources to analyse.
Anderson’s former home in Ottery St Mary, Devon, was raided in August last year after police discovered that his IP address had been used to access a file sharing website which is notorious for hosting child images.
Search terms on his computer showed he had sought out the material
He admitted everything to the police
Anderson, aged 63, now of Rutland Crescent, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, admitted four counts of making or possessing indecent or prohibited images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography.
He was ordered to do 30 days of rehabilitation activities under a two year community order by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court.
He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for five years and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order which will enable the police to monitor his use of the internet.
The judge said: “You have been a teacher for a substantial period of time and performed a great deal of creditable work. You are of good character and cooperated with police from the outset.