Blogger Convicted of Sex Offenses Found Dead After Exposing Police Chief

Simon Tilley, a blogger known for his role in exposing former Northamptonshire Chief Constable Nick Adderley, was found dead in a hotel room on Friday, July 3. Tilley, 45, was awaiting sentencing after being convicted of child sex offenses and stalking in May. He was reportedly discovered by hotel staff after failing to check out of the Hampton by Hilton hotel in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Tilley's blogs were instrumental in bringing down Adderley, who had falsely claimed military service in the Falklands and made other untrue statements on his curriculum vitae. Adderley was dismissed in 2024 after a disciplinary panel found he had engaged in "sustained, brazen dishonesty." He has since faced charges of fraud and misconduct in public office related to these allegations.

During Tilley's trial, the court heard that he had sent explicit messages and pornographic videos to an undercover Northamptonshire Police detective, whom Tilley believed to be a 13-year-old boy. Tilley was found guilty of two child sex offenses and stalking the detective's wife, who is also a police officer. He had posted a picture of her wedding day and marriage certificate online, along with false allegations of corruption. Jurors were told that Tilley conducted this stalking campaign, which included obtaining marriage certificates of at least ten officers, in an effort to "derail the criminal proceedings."

Tilley was convicted of two child sex offenses, perverting the course of justice, and one count of stalking. He was granted bail ahead of his sentencing, which was scheduled for September 18. Northamptonshire Police stated that officers were called to the sudden death of a 46-year-old man in a hotel room in Corby. The force indicated that the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner's office.

Up until the week before his death, Tilley had reportedly been in contact with the Northamptonshire Telegraph, providing them with details of perceived failures within the force and cases involving other police officers.