Simon Glerum imported a 3ft tall life-like child sex doll and had child abuse pictures on his computer. He walked free from court on a suspended sentence today
A paedophile who imported a child-like sex doll has avoided jail on a suspended sentence.
Simon Glerum, 33, was arrested after Border Force officers at Stansted Airport intercepted a parcel from Hong Kong, Essex Police said.
It contained the 3ft 3ins tall doll, described in court as ‘anatomically correct’, and came with items including a girl’s hairbrush and a ‘body stocking’. The package was labelled as a mannequin.
Glerum was arrested at his home in Great Bardfield, Essex and police seized a laptop which was found to contain child abuse images downloaded from the internet and a fictional story describing the sexual abuse of a child.
He admitted importing the doll, three counts of making indecent images of a child and one count of possession of a prohibited image.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 24 months, with the sentence concurrent for all five counts.
He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order, and must complete a sex offender treatment programme and 20 days in rehabilitation.
Judge Patricia Lynch QC said the programme ‘will address features in your life which were prevalent at the time of your offending, including your poor social functioning and low self-esteem as well as your unhealthy attitude towards child pornography’.
The doll will be destroyed, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.
Essex Police released this image of the doll Glerum tried to import. The force aid they have now made a number arrests over the crime and would deal with cases ‘robustly’
Detective Inspector Neal Miller said: ‘The importation of childlike sex dolls can be an indication of offences being committed against children, as in this case, where images of child abuse were found on Glerum’s computer.
‘We will always investigate and deal with such cases robustly and have made a number of arrests. One is currently going through the courts.
‘We work closely with Border Force, National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service in our commitment to prevent the importation of these obscene items and to protect children from harm.’
Last month, a judge ruled that the sex dolls – made in Asia to look like young girls and children – were ‘obscene’ at a court appearance of a British man who admitted importing them this week.
In that case, ex-primary school governor David Turner, 72, pleaded guilty to importing the dolls after an application to dismiss the charge was turned down.
The doll came with a number of accessories, including a child’s hairbrush, wig and fake nails