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| Man's 104,000 child porn pictures | Man's 104,000 child porn pictures |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A 26-year-old man with 104,523 indecent images of children on his computer wanted children of his own so he could "have some fun," a court has heard. | A 26-year-old man with 104,523 indecent images of children on his computer wanted children of his own so he could "have some fun," a court has heard. |
| Some photos and videos were so shocking a police computer expert was moved to tears for the first time in her career. | Some photos and videos were so shocking a police computer expert was moved to tears for the first time in her career. |
| Aled Owen Matthews, of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, was jailed at Carmarthen Crown Court for four years after pleading guilty to 33 charges. | Aled Owen Matthews, of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, was jailed at Carmarthen Crown Court for four years after pleading guilty to 33 charges. |
| Some images were of children as young as one, and "truly shocking." | Some images were of children as young as one, and "truly shocking." |
| The court heard that police raided the home Matthews shared with his fiancee in August last year. | The court heard that police raided the home Matthews shared with his fiancee in August last year. |
| Karina Hughes, prosecuting, said a computer and hard drive were taken away and found to contain images which ranged from category one to five - with five the most serious. | Karina Hughes, prosecuting, said a computer and hard drive were taken away and found to contain images which ranged from category one to five - with five the most serious. |
| Ms Hughes said police computer crime investigator Sandra Keeley described what she found as "the biggest and most disturbing case that she had come across." He said he never actually intended to carry out anything Karina Hughes, prosecuting | Ms Hughes said police computer crime investigator Sandra Keeley described what she found as "the biggest and most disturbing case that she had come across." He said he never actually intended to carry out anything Karina Hughes, prosecuting |
| Ms Keeley - who had been in the job for five years - "was moved to tears," said Ms Hughes. | Ms Keeley - who had been in the job for five years - "was moved to tears," said Ms Hughes. |
| They depicted children from the age of one through to teenagers. | They depicted children from the age of one through to teenagers. |
| Police found Matthews had been swapping images with other computer users and had been conversing with them on computer chat lines. | Police found Matthews had been swapping images with other computer users and had been conversing with them on computer chat lines. |
| He told one: "Trying for kids next year - can't wait." | He told one: "Trying for kids next year - can't wait." |
| He wrote to another stating: "We'll go easy on them aged nought to one and after that have some fun." | He wrote to another stating: "We'll go easy on them aged nought to one and after that have some fun." |
| Matthews's fiancee knew nothing about his online activities, the court was told. | Matthews's fiancee knew nothing about his online activities, the court was told. |
| Matthews was driven away from court after being jailed for four years | |
| In police interview Matthews said that when he and his fiancee bought the computer in 2006 he had started to use it to access adult pornography. | In police interview Matthews said that when he and his fiancee bought the computer in 2006 he had started to use it to access adult pornography. |
| But he told officers "he wanted something different" and had started to search for images of children. | But he told officers "he wanted something different" and had started to search for images of children. |
| He downloaded or swapped the 104,523 illegal images between June and August 2007. | He downloaded or swapped the 104,523 illegal images between June and August 2007. |
| Regarding his comments about having his own children he told police they were "to try to encourage other like-minded people to interact with him," said Ms Hughes. | Regarding his comments about having his own children he told police they were "to try to encourage other like-minded people to interact with him," said Ms Hughes. |
| "He said he never actually intended to carry out anything." | "He said he never actually intended to carry out anything." |
| The court heard Matthews had been assessed by a psychiatrist but did not suffer from "any mental illness or disorder. | |
| " He does say that the arrest came as some sort of relief to him Huw Rees, representing Matthews | |
| Huw Rees, representing Matthews said: "He was at first shocked by what he saw, but he accepts during significant periods of viewing he did, at times, become sexually aroused." | Huw Rees, representing Matthews said: "He was at first shocked by what he saw, but he accepts during significant periods of viewing he did, at times, become sexually aroused." |
| Mr Rees said the main mitigating factors were that Matthews had no involvement in producing the images, made no money from swapping them and had not commissioned others to produce them. | Mr Rees said the main mitigating factors were that Matthews had no involvement in producing the images, made no money from swapping them and had not commissioned others to produce them. |
| "He has not attempted to justify the unjustifiable," said the barrister. | "He has not attempted to justify the unjustifiable," said the barrister. |
| "He does say that the arrest came as some sort of relief to him. | "He does say that the arrest came as some sort of relief to him. |
| "He says that it became obvious to him what he was doing was wrong - he wanted to and attempted to wean himself off." | "He says that it became obvious to him what he was doing was wrong - he wanted to and attempted to wean himself off." |
| Mr Rees said Matthews appreciated the suffering and effect of child pornography on its victims. | Mr Rees said Matthews appreciated the suffering and effect of child pornography on its victims. |
| Matthews had pleaded guilty to 16 counts of making indecent images, 16 counts of distributing indecent images and one count of possessing 104,523 images at a previous hearing. | Matthews had pleaded guilty to 16 counts of making indecent images, 16 counts of distributing indecent images and one count of possessing 104,523 images at a previous hearing. |
| Sentencing him Judge Michael Burr described the images as "quite dreadful" and said "people with normal tastes and interest would be quite appalled" at their content. | Sentencing him Judge Michael Burr described the images as "quite dreadful" and said "people with normal tastes and interest would be quite appalled" at their content. |
| As well as jailing Matthews for four years, he ordered him to be put on the sex offenders register. | As well as jailing Matthews for four years, he ordered him to be put on the sex offenders register. |
| Judge Burr also banned him from owning or using video, mobile phone or other electronic equipment that could be used for recording and from owning or using computer equipment to access the internet. | Judge Burr also banned him from owning or using video, mobile phone or other electronic equipment that could be used for recording and from owning or using computer equipment to access the internet. |