A former Stanmore businessman and respected member of the Jewish community, Simeon Osen, has been sentenced to just under six years in prison for orchestrating child sexual abuse online. Osen, aged 53 and residing in Forest Lane, Chigwell, Essex at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of arranging and facilitating the commission of child sex offences committed during 2012.
The case came to light following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Child Abuse, Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Command, initiated in 2013 after an allegation that Osen had abused a 13-year-old girl. During the probe, officers seized Osen's personal computers and a work computer from his premises in Harlow, uncovering a trove of incriminating evidence. This included over 41,000 Skype messages exchanged with individuals in Manila, Philippines, in which Osen directed the sexual abuse of children. The devices also contained images and movies of an indecent nature, some classified as extreme pornography.
At Harrow Crown Court on 6 November 2014, the court heard disturbing details of Osen's activities. Using the online video platform Skype, Osen instructed girls as young as 10 years old in the Philippines to engage in explicit acts, such as penetrating themselves, masturbating, and exposing their private parts. He negotiated the ages, prices, and specific acts he wished to witness, transferring money via PayPal to facilitate these 'sex shows'. The prosecution, led by Rhiannon Sadler, estimated that over £5,000 was sent from Osen's accounts, though the defence contested this figure. One particularly shocking incident described involved Osen watching a 13-year-old girl perform a sexual act over Skype while he was at his workplace, unable to complete the act himself due to the presence of a cleaner nearby.
Judge Martyn Barklem, in sentencing Osen to five years and 11 months' imprisonment, addressed the gravity of the offences: 'These children were for the most part pre-pubescent, ranging from ages 10 years old to 15 years old. These children were not objects to be used for your sexual gratification, they are real children and real people.' The judge acknowledged Osen's previous standing in the community, noting, 'I accept that most of your life you have been a pillar of your community and it comes as no surprise that your extended family have turned their back on you despite your remorse. It is a complete revulsion.'
In addition to his custodial sentence, Osen was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and received a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Detective Constable Rachel Snow from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command commented on the case: 'On the surface Simeon Osen was a successful businessman with a family, but in reality he was a paedophile who was abusing children. I hope his arrest, prosecution and imprisonment today serves as a warning to other sex offenders in the UK, who think they can get away with abusing children anywhere in the world.' The investigation highlights the collaborative efforts of UK police and international law enforcement to combat online child exploitation.