Simon Swales: 'Venomous' Barnsley man made false paedophile claims, causing victims to fear vigilante violence

A Barnsley man has been jailed after falsely claiming three people were ‘paedophiles,’ as part of a persistent social media campaign, causing them to fear that ‘vigilante violence’ would be carried out against them and their families. 

Defendant Simon Swales made the false claims concerning paedophilia and child abuse against three individuals over a 13-month period. 

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told Swales: “You asserted that three separate people were, in effect, paedophiles or involved in child abuse, or were related or friendly to such people. Each one has been very badly affected by these allegations, which were made by you in both private and public posts on social media.”

“There were real fears of vigilante violence because of being erroneously branded child abusers. It’s an exceptionally serious allegation to make against an individual, to describe them as a paedophile or child abuser.

“Your conduct was venomous in that regard.”

Swales' campaign against the three complainants took place between July 2021 and August 2022, and Sheffield Crown Court was told how Swales was an acquaintance of the first complainant, relating to a time when he did not live in South Yorkshire.

The ordeal began when 32-year-old Swales attempted to contact the first complainant over social media using the pseudonym ‘Liam Smith,’ before attempting to make contact again with an account bearing the name ‘Si Lee’.

Judge Richardson told Swales: “You commenced harassment at that stage - in both private and public posts. The import of those messages were that the complainant had groomed you as a 14-year-old boy…and left you broken.”

A hearing held on April 26, 2024 was told that the second complainant was a family member of the first complainant, and Swales went on to claim that both complainants were ‘paedophiles’ and posted a picture of the second complainant’s child on Facebook. 

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Swales, of Whinside Crescent, Thurnscoe, Barnsley, also made ‘grooming’ claims concerning the complainants to one of their friends, the third complainant, and he subsequently asserted that the third complainant had tried to ‘block a child abuse victim’. 

The police were contacted at this stage, and Swales were subsequently released on bail with ‘certain conditions,’ Judge Richardson told the court. 

He added that Swales ‘breached those conditions’ to continue with his ‘campaign’ against the three complainants using an account under the name ‘Simone Swales’. 

Swales was subsequently arrested and charged with three offences.

“A high level of distress has been caused to each of the complainants. Each of them has had serious, practical consequences caused to their families,” Judge Richardson said. 

He also told the court that, in his view, Swales had ‘displayed no contrition’ and his actions had also resulted in the cases ‘hanging over the heads’ of the people he targeted for two years. 

This was due to Swales initially entering guilty pleas to the charges he faced of one count of stalking and two counts of malicious communications, and then subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt to vacate - or retract - his pleas, resulting in a more protracted, and lengthy, court process. 

Representing himself, Swales told the court that he was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, triggering past traumas. 

“That’s why I had a meltdown and became fixated,” Swales said. 

Judge Richardson said it was clear Swales’ diagnosis had impacted upon his mental health. 

He jailed Swales for three years and granted restraining orders without limit of time, prohibiting Swales from contacted the three complainants.