February 2016 Primary school volunteer had 2,000 child sex abuse images A primary school volunteer has been sent on a sex offenders course and banned from working with children after he was caught with almost 2,000 child abuse images. Professional photographer and karate coach Ross Chesterton also worked as a volunteer teacher for one afternoon a week at the school in south Devon. Many of the images recovered by police experts from his computer were of girls and boys of primary school age, although at least one showed a child of two being abused. Chesterton, aged 52, was ordered to attend a sex offenders course and was made subject to stringent controls on his use of the internet and future contact with children by a Judge at Exeter Crown Court. When he was first arrested by police he claimed to have been carrying out a private investigation into internet pornography but further inquiries showed more images and the use if evidence elimination software. Chesterton, of Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, admitted four counts of making indecent images and was ordered to undertake a three year long sex offenders’ course. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years which will allow police to monitor his internet use and restrict his contact with children. Recorder Mr Philip Mott, QC, told him:”This was very persistent browsing rather than the deliberate saving of files for later access. There were no moving images and no chat or messaging. “However, there were far more images than could possibly have arisen by chance. The clearly show an unhealthy interest in indecent images of children. A substantial number are in the higher categories. “I accept the Sexual Harm Prevention Order will affect your ability to work as a photographer because it restricts your contact with children.” Mr James Taghdissian, prosecuting, said Chesterton was found with images which had been stored in his computer’s memory when he browsed peer to peer sites. He was traced by police in Devon after a tip off from the National Crime Agency and found with a total of 347 images at the most serious category A, 567 at B and 973 at the lowest category C. He said the images included a girl aged eight to ten suffering serious abuse, two young girls touching a naked boy of seven to eight, and images of naked children as young as two. Chesterton blamed the images on other people using his computer or wi-fi and then said he was taking part in a private investigation. He finally admitted he had downloaded the images for sexual gratification. At the time he worked one afternoon a week at a primary school near Newton Abbot teaching children to read January 2016 Professional photographer downloaded thousands of child abuse images A professional photographer has admitted downloading more than 2,000 indecent images of children. Ross Chesterton, 52, was found with 347 images on his computer which were at the worst category and depicted children being raped or suffering very serious abuse. He initially claimed he accessed the images on the internet as part of a private investigation into child pornography but has now accepted his interest was sexual. Chesterton, of Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, who is currently living in Kidderminster, admitted four counts of making indecent images when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court. Judge Graham Cottle adjourned the case for a probation pre sentence report and warned Chesterton he may receive a jail sentence. He told him: “You have withdrawn your original basis of plea, and very sensibly so as well. It is imperative that when you talk to the author of the pre sentence report that you make a clean breast of what you did and more importantly why you did it. “Otherwise the probation service will not be able to prepare a report which is favourable to your case and offer options. There may still be a custodial sentence. It will be for the sentencing court to choose.” David Evans, for the defence, said Chesterton is no longer pursuing his basis of plea and there is no longer a dispute about the factual background. He said Chesterton has no convictions and is currently caring for his elderly mother in Kidderminster. The four charges which Chesterton has admitted relate to 347 images at category A, 567 at B and 973 at the lowest category C. September 2015 Newton Abbot man says he did not download child pics for sexual gratification A NEWTON Abbot man says he downloaded indecent images of children as part of an unauthorised investigation about where they were coming from Ross Chesterton, 51, pleaded guilty to four counts of making almost 2,000 indecent images of a child when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court. Bathsheba Cassel, representing Chesterton, said: “He did not download them for sexual gratification. “He was effectively taking it upon himself to investigate where these images were coming from without approval from the authorities. The case was adjourned to October 2 for consideration of Chesterton’s basis of plea. Chesterton was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register.