DAVID ASTON FROM BOLTON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGE OFFENSES
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bolton, a man named David Aston has been convicted of possessing a vast collection of child sexual abuse images.The court proceedings revealed that Aston, aged 57, had been actively involved in the online distribution and collection of these illicit materials for over a decade.
According to court records, Aston adopted the online pseudonym ‘Wicked Dad’ while browsing the internet for disturbing images.
His activities included downloading and hoarding thousands of photographs and videos depicting children as young as four years old being subjected to abuse.
The investigation was initiated after authorities raided Aston’s residence on Braithwaite Road, Bolton, in February 2018.
During the raid, law enforcement officers seized four laptops and an external hard drive, all of which contained a significant number of illegal images and videos.
The evidence indicated that Aston had been collecting these materials from 2005 through 2016, spanning over ten years of illicit activity.
Some of the images were not only stored but also made available for distribution, highlighting the extent of his involvement in the illegal trade.
Prosecutor Matthew Howarth detailed that Aston’s online activity included joking about the potential legal consequences of his actions, with one comment in an online chat forum where he said, “You know we could get put in prison for this?” This comment was made in the context of discussions with fellow offenders, emphasizing the clandestine nature of their exchanges.
Further evidence uncovered that Aston had a particular interest in images involving mothers and daughters.
Search terms such as “paedo mum” and “pre-teen hardcore mum” were used by Aston during his online searches.
The images he possessed predominantly featured children aged between four and nine years old.
In total, Aston pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of 1,403 Category A images, which are classified as the most serious, along with 1,404 Category B images and 2,756 Category C images.
He also admitted to sharing Category C images, possessing 28 indecent images, and possessing extreme pornography.
Aston, who had no prior criminal record, faced a substantial sentence for his crimes.
Judge Jeremy Lasker sentenced Aston to 16 months in prison.
In his remarks, the judge emphasized the severity of the offense, stating, “This is much more serious than an ‘error of judgment’.
You told officers you had no real sexual interest in children but the sight of women abusing children aroused you.
Without people like you, there would not be this filthy trade in abusing children.” As part of his sentence, Aston is now subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender for the next decade, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities and restrictions to prevent further harm.
