A Somerset Paedophile, Darren Ashton, who live-streamed child sexual assault from the Philippines and disseminated obscene photographs of minors has been punished after a National Crime Agency investigation.
Darren Ashton, 52, from Somerset, frequently accessed websites that broadcasted the live exploitation of minors in the Philippines.
Identifying as ‘Daz from England’, Darren Ashton conversed about the dissemination of photographs and movies featuring male minors aged 13 and 14, expressing a preference for ‘cam shows’ over pre-recorded videos.
A deleted communication retrieved from his mobile phone reveals Darren Ashton communicating with an approximately 11-year-old child residing in Singapore. Upon receiving an image of the youngster, Darren Ashton urged him to provide inappropriate photographs of himself.
NCA officials apprehended Darren Ashton at his residence in Somerset following intelligence received from the Philippines person Police, as part of their inquiry into a Filipino person who had been detained in the country.
Indecent photographs were found on Darren Ashton’s devices: 185 in Category A, 244 in Category B, and 266 in Category C, in addition to 10 extreme or illegal images.
Darren Ashton was interrogated and refuted the allegations. On 13 February at Taunton Crown Court, he was subsequently accused and entered a guilty plea to nine crimes of child sexual abuse.
He was sentenced today (9 May) by the same court to four years of imprisonment. He will additionally be listed on the Sex Offenders Register and will be indefinitely subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
NCA operations manager Danielle Pownall said: “Darren Ashton was abusing children over the internet, encouraging them to send images and videos, and watching live streamed and real time child sexual abuse from the Philippines.
“Live streaming exploits vulnerable children and Darren Ashton’s offending means he is directly responsible for the harm it causes them.
“The NCA will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners in the Philippines and around the world to protect children and pursue those who contribute to this evil criminal world.”
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