October 2008 Chef locked up for vile pictures of child rape A CHEF who was caught with more than 5,000 indecent images of children on his laptop computer was yesterday jailed for six months. Ian Cook was trapped when overseas investigators tipped off British police after finding his credit card details linked to a suspect website. The 52-year-old’s home at a North Yorkshire country pub was raided in January and the sickening hoard of pictures was discovered. Cook admitted 16 specimen charges of making indecent images and one of possessing 5,187 images, between February last year and January. Judge Peter Fox described Cook’s collection as “vile material”, and told him: “There is no avoiding an immediate prison sentence. ” He said: “People who pay to download pictures of little girls being raped must realise they are fuelling a wicked industry and must go to prison. “That type of image was downloaded by you several hundreds of times, and there were a few which were even worse. ” Cook was head chef at the Carlton Inn, at Carlton Husthwaite, near Thirsk, when police raided his home, Teesside Crown Court heard. In interview, he confessed that he knew he was breaking the law by buying the material, and made full admissions. His lawyer, James Fenny, told the court Cook continued to work and live at the pub after his arrest, on January 9, but had since been offered a job and home at a restaurant in Barnard Castle. He would lose both if he was jailed. Mr Fenny told Judge Fox: “He has been frightened about the consequences of his actions. ” The court was told that Cook had confided in a priest – as he had nobody else to turn to – and was willing to comply with any court order. Mr Fenny said his client was separated from his wife, but his arrest and impending court case still had a devastating impact on his family. “It has been nine months of considerable strain on Mr Cook, ” Mr Fenny added. “He has been rather shattered by the whole experience. ” Cook, whose address was now given as Church Row, Melsonby, Richmond, was also banned from working with children for life.