'Lord of Fraud' conman admits child sexual abuse offences

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 19:32 · Archive

Hugh Rodley, a 79-year-old conman previously jailed for attempting to steal £229 million from a Japanese bank, has pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse image offences.

Hugh Rodley, 79, a conman dubbed the 'Lord of Fraud', has pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing indecent images of children at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court. His aristocratic title was based on a manorial claim rather than genuine peerage.

National Crime Agency officers arrested Rodley at his home in Ballandine Crescent, Stoke Orchard, near Cheltenham, in December for unrelated alleged offences. Investigators found a Hewlett Packard laptop containing 198 indecent images: 19 at category A, 12 at category B and 167 at category C. He had searched at least 806 times on the laptop for paedophilic content. After his release on bail, officers arrested him again in January. Despite claiming he did not have a mobile phone, a search of his property revealed an iPhone containing 295 further indecent images: five at category A, 13 at category B and 277 at category C. He had used the phone almost immediately after being bailed to continue searching for child sexual abuse material.

Rodley has an extensive criminal history. In 2009 he was sentenced to eight years in prison for attempting to steal £229 million from a Japanese bank. In 2012 he received an additional seven years after conning more than 700 pensioners out of £6 million with promises of 'rich rewards'. In June 2016 he was sentenced to a further seven years for failing to repay more than £1.2 million. Rodley is due to return to court for sentencing in November.

How it is being reported

• Bogus aristocrat 'Lord of Fraud', 79, who was jailed for trying to steal £229million from a Japanese bank pleads guilty to child sex offencesSelf styled peer Hugh Rodley pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent images of children and one of possessing indecent images of children.Daily Mail · 22 Oct, 19:19
• ‘Lord of Fraud’ caught with hundreds of indecent images of childrenHugh Rodley was earlier jailed for trying to steal £229 million from a Japanese bankThe Independent · 22 Oct, 16:32

In this story: Hugh Rodley · National Crime Agency · Cheltenham · Stoke Orchard · Japan

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