Paedophile failed to tell officers about devices

A paedophile who breached a court order by failing to tell officers about his electronic devices has been sentenced.

Bobby Schmedeman, 44, was visited by officers at his home in Isleham, near Ely, at about 3pm on 9 December last year.

Following a conviction for indecent images of children in June 2017, he was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which stated he had to make internet devices available to a police officer upon request and to notify an officer within three days of buying a device which can access the internet.

An officer told him to provide all of his internet enabled devices and Schmedeman claimed he only had his Xbox.

However, the officer found evidence Schmedeman had access to an Apple device and an iPad, despite his denials.

The officers arrested him and searched his bedroom where they found an iPad, Samsung tablet and a mobile phone, none of which he had told police about.

They also found a sword, knife, flick knife and foot and hand claws.

A new laptop was found that Schmedeman had not declared.

All the devices were seized and inspection of the iPad and Samsung tablet uncovered 27 illicit images of children.

They attended his home again on 22 May this year and seized more devices he had failed to tell officers about. 

On Friday (6 December), at Cambridge Crown Court, Schmedeman, of Kennedy Road, Isleham, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He had pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, eight counts of breaching a SHPO, possession of a flick knife and three counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place at an earlier hearing.

DC Andrew McKeane said: “This case shows our commitment to enforcing court orders to protect people from harm.

“Schmedeman knows the requirements of his SHPO so I hope this suspended sentence serves a warning.”