Sidney Fillery

A former police officer narrowly escaped a custodial sentence after pleading guilty to possessing indecent images of children. Sidney Fillery, aged 57 at the time, had a background in law enforcement, having served as a detective constable at Catford Police Station until 1987. Now working as a private investigator in Kingsingfield, Sevenoaks, Kent, Fillery's case came to light following a police raid on his office premises in December 2002.

The raid, conducted under a warrant for a separate investigation, uncovered evidence of Fillery's 'mature and active interest' in child pornography websites. Although no charges arose from the initial probe, forensic examination of his computer at Grange Road, Thornton Heath, south-east London, revealed downloaded material recovered from temporary internet files and hard disc fragments. Prosecuting barrister Hugh Davies told Bow Street Magistrates' Court that Fillery had used dedicated search terms for child pornography, phrases he had learned during his 22 years in the police force, demonstrating an 'informed interest' in the illicit content.

• Fillery accessed unambiguously named websites targeted at paedophiles.
• His browser favourites included a high proportion of sites dedicated to child pornography, many offering free access without credit card details.
• The images, primarily of young boys and girls in sexual poses, ranged from level one (least serious) to level four (exceeding the custody threshold per guidelines).
• Despite not saving images or making payments, the material was traceable, showing planned and conscious downloading.

District Judge Caroline Tubbs expressed 'a great deal of concern' over the case, noting Fillery's deliberate actions. She classified the majority of the 13 counts as levels one and two but acknowledged one level four image. Despite this, Fillery received a three-year community rehabilitation order rather than imprisonment. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. In mitigation, defence counsel Dale Sullivan highlighted Fillery's expressed shame, humiliation, and remorse, though the defendant maintained the images were only at lower levels. Fillery, dressed in a grey suit, checked shirt, and green tie, declined to comment after the hearing.

The case, reported by the London Evening Standard on 13 April 2012, underscores the risks of digital forensics in uncovering hidden criminal activity, even among those with law enforcement experience. No further details on the separate 2002 investigation were provided, and Fillery faced no additional charges from it.