News
Cartoon lover ‘made child porn’
A MAN from Cardigan appeared at Swansea Crown Court yesterday (Thursday) charged with thirteen counts of making indecent images of a child, and two counts of showing a 7 year old child hard-core pornographic images.
The prosecution allege that Andrew Francis Forster, aged 27, who recently moved to Fleming Crescent in Haverfordwest, created images which included the most serious level of indecency, Category A – creating images involving penetrative sexual activity with a child.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place in Haverfordwest between April 6 and April 8.
Forster appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Thursday last week (April 10) to confirm his name and address, and was remanded into custody to await trial by jury.
He did not enter pleas at the hearing, and not guilty pleas were formally entered by the Court to the fifteen offences.
The Herald understands that Forster is fascinated with Japanese ‘manga’ cartoons. On social media he has posted pictures of his partner and himself dressed as anime characters. On Facebook, Forster talked of his love for 1998 Japanese romantic comic book ‘Love Hina’ which contains cartoon images of young girls in swim suits.
There is no suggestion that his partner, who is many years younger than him, has anything to do with the offences.
The sentencing guidelines, which sentencing judges must follow, were updated at the beginning of this month. The two offences with which Forster is charged under Section 12 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (e.g. causing a child to watch a pornographic film) attract a sentencing starting point of 1 year’s imprisonment with a maximum sentence of 6 years’ imprisonment, dependent on the existence of additional aggravating factors. The remaining allegations, made under Section 1 of the 1978 Protection of Children Act (relating to the possession or production of indecent photographs), carry a maximum sentence of 9 years’ custody, again depending on specific aggravating circumstances identified in the sentencing criteria.
The Pembrokeshire Herald contacted a member of Forster’s family who said they did not wish to comment.
News
Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children
A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.
The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.
Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.
During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.
MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.
Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.
Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.
Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.
Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.
MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.
News
Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home
A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.
Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).
In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.
PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”
This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.
Crime
Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs
A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.
David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.
Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”
Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.
Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.
The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.
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“The sense of power and the great surge of energy that this earth provides is all I want my paintings to share”
Sam
April 20, 2014 at 11:46 pm
Is it really relevant that this sick weirdo watches anime??
Mr Stink
April 21, 2014 at 11:17 am
Do your research anime is just animated pornography what he was doing involved kids. If I see him down this street I will break both his knee caps in…
Katie
April 21, 2014 at 3:53 pm
So pokemon is animated porn? :S
Hayley
April 26, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Why did you delete my perfectly valid comments?