Dagenham Man Jailed for 32 Child Sex Offences
A 33-year-old man from Dagenham, Daniel Archbold, has been locked up for 15 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 1 May, after being convicted of 32 sex crimes against children.
Guilty Pleas and Quick Jury Verdict
Archbold pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault on a child and 21 counts of taking indecent images of children at the start of his trial on 10 March. However, he denied two counts of rape.
Just two days later, on 12 March, a jury found him guilty of both rape charges in under 20 minutes.
Disturbing Discovery and Police Investigation
The nightmare began when police were tipped off in April 2018 about indecent images and videos found on Archbold’s hard drive. Officers seized his equipment and arrested him. He gave a no comment interview and was later released on bail while investigations continued.
Further enquiries uncovered more self-created indecent images and multiple victims. Archbold was slapped with a Sexual Risk Order restricting his movements. Despite this, he breached the order twice, contacting victims and accessing child pornography on an electronic device.
He served eight weeks in jail for breaking the order, but the CPS charged him with the new offences just before his release date. He was remanded back into custody to await sentencing.
Detective’s Stark Warning
“Archbold’s actions were sickening and affected the lives of so many people. The fact that he breached his Sexual Risk Order twice shows just how prolific and dangerous he is,” said Detective Constable Sam Rivers, who led the probe.
“Prison is the only place for this man. Thanks to the tip-off and thorough investigation, he’ll be locked up for a long time.”
“People who think viewing or sharing indecent images online is harmless are wrong. Behind every image is a vulnerable child suffering abuse repeated each time it’s shared.”
“Anyone who seeks out or distributes child abuse images can expect to be caught, arrested and prosecuted.”
Sentencing and Safeguarding
Archbold received an extended sentence of 15 years in prison, including an extra year on licence. The reduction from 16 years reflected his guilty pleas at trial.
The Metropolitan Police reaffirmed their commitment to protecting children and hunting down sexual offenders. They urged anyone worried about suspicious behaviour to reach out to the police without delay.
Support is also available for those tempted to view illegal images, such as through the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, helping to break the cycle of abuse.
