A self-appointed lord convicted of two multi-million-pound frauds has admitted child sexual abuse offences, following a National Crime Agency investigation.
Hugh James Rodley, 79, today (Thurs 22 Oct) appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court and admitted six counts of making indecent images/videos of children (IIOC) and one of possessing IIOC.
NCA officers arrested him at his home in Ballandine Crescent, Stoke Orchard, Cheltenham, on 4 December last year for unrelated alleged offences.
Investigators found a Hewlett Packard laptop which contained 198 IIOC, including 19 at category A (the most severe), 12 at category B and 167 at category C.
In addition, Rodley had searched at least 806 times on his laptop for paedophilic content.
He was released on bail but officers arrested him again on 27 January this year when he claimed he did not have a mobile phone.
Officers searched his property and found an Apple iPhone which contained further IIOC material.
Examination showed he used the phone almost immediately after being bailed to continue searching for further child sexual abuse content.
The phone contained 295 indecent images of children: five at category A, 13 category B images and 277 category C images.
Rodley, who will return to court for sentencing on 22 November, was sentenced to eight years in jail in 2009 for trying to steal £229m from a Japanese bank.
In 2012 he was given an additional seven years behind bars after being convicted of conning more than 700 pensioners out of £6m.
In June 2016 he was sentenced to a further seven years in prison after failing to repay more than £1.2m.
NCA senior investigating officer Andy Lawton said: “Protecting children from sexual abuse is a priority for the National Crime Agency.
“Rodley can now add helping fuel the sickening trade in child sexual abuse to his list of offences. Behind each of these images is a vulnerable child who has been exploited to gratify the depraved desires of paedophiles.”
Help and advice for children, parents and carers from the NCA’s CEOP Education Team can be found at www.thinkuknow.co.uk
22 October 2026
