A 79-year-old fraudster dubbed the “Lord of Fraud” has admitted child sexual abuse offences after National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators found hundreds of indecent images of children on devices linked to him. Hugh Rodley pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court to six counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing such images.
What Happened
Rodley, who lives near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, entered the guilty pleas earlier at the magistrates’ court. He is due to return to court in November, when he will be sentenced.
NCA senior investigating officer Andy Lawton said: “Rodley can now add helping fuel the sickening trade in child sexual abuse to his list of offences.”
How the Investigation Developed
NCA officers arrested Rodley at his home near Cheltenham in December last year over unrelated alleged offences, and he was released on bail. Officers arrested him again in January, after he claimed he did not have a mobile phone. A phone found during a search of his property contained further indecent material.
Examination of the phone showed he had used it almost immediately after being bailed to continue searching for child sexual abuse content. Investigators said a laptop contained 198 indecent images, 19 of them in category A, the most serious. The phone held 295 indecent images, five of them in category A.
Background
Rodley was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2009 for trying to steal £229 million from a Japanese bank. In 2012 he was given an additional seven years after being convicted of conning 741 pensioners out of £6 million. He was sentenced to a further seven years in 2016 after failing to repay more than £1.2 million.
What Happens Next
Rodley will be sentenced in November at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court. The NCA said protecting children from sexual abuse is a priority, and that behind each image is a vulnerable child who has been exploited.
This is a developing story, and this article will be updated if more details are released.
