MasterChef: Caerwyn Ash jailed for child abuse images

A MasterChef contestant has been jailed for possessing kid maltreatment images and past blackmailing constabulary officers erstwhile helium was caught.

Caerwyn Ash, 41, from Swansea, threatened to people images of constabulary officers engaging successful intersexual acts unless the lawsuit against him was dropped.

Ash was recovered blameworthy of possessing 20 indecent images and 5 videos.

He was besides recovered blameworthy of possessing utmost pornography and attempting to pervert the people of justice.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Ash went to Swansea Central Police Station the time earlier helium was owed to look astatine the city's magistrates' court.

He took a missive addressed to the "Head of CID" calling for the charges to beryllium dropped oregon helium would "create an earthquake" by publishing worldly of South Wales Police officers engaged successful intersexual acts via a "trusted person successful the Press Association".

Prosecutor James Wilson said retired of the 20 indecent images, 11 were of the astir superior successful class A.

Five videos of class A kid maltreatment and videos of utmost pornography were besides recovered connected a hard thrust astatine Ash's partner's location successful Morriston, Swansea, successful April 2019.

Ash denied the charges and said helium "would ne'er look astatine specified an image" and if helium saw specified an image, helium would "report it instantly to the police".

He described his beingness arsenic "destroyed" and said helium has mislaid 2 homes since his arrest.

Sentencing, Judge Wayne Barnes said: "You person consistently denied immoderate wrongdoing and I indispensable condemnation you connected the jury's verdict.

"In the airy of that and you not accepting the jury's verdict determination is nary imaginable of rehabilitation. The images and videos talk for themselves due to the fact that of their superior categories.

"Your possession of utmost pornography shows a level of obsession successful intersexual matters."

The justice described Ash's "deliberate effort to halt the prosecution" against him by blackmailing constabulary officers arsenic "a manipulative and cynical move".

Judge Beard sentenced Ash to a full of 3 years successful situation - 2 years for perverting the people of justness and 1 twelvemonth for possessing and downloading indecent images.