Trainee teacher ‘had no idea about indecent images’

A TRAINEE primary teacher told police he had no idea how hundreds of images of child and extreme pornography were discovered on laptops he used, a court heard.

Iain Wise, 27, of Ty’r Person, Church Village, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of distributing indecent photos of a child, three counts of possessing indecent photos of a child and one count of possessing extreme pornography.

Newport Crown Court heard how files were created and then hidden in a myriad of others to make them difficult to discover.

John Ryan, prosecuting, said: “When the police went to Mr Wise’s semi-detached home in Church Village and seized a number of phones and computers an initial examination revealed all but one did not contain child porn, but one did.”

The court heard that a white Toshiba laptop had on it indecent images of children and extreme pornography falling into categories A to C, A being the most serious.

Mr Ryan said: “There were 181 indecent photos of children, 219 indecent films of children and 59 images of extreme porn on that computer seized on that date.”

The court heard police computer expert, Eilir Daniels, found a Skype address connected to Wise with an associated email address.

The court heard it was used to send and receive illegal material.

It was also said Skype conversations occurred where sex with minors was discussed.

“Those were found on the computer after the expert examined the computer,” Mr Ryan said.

The police returned to Wise’s home to arrest him on May 4 last year. There they seized more computers, including a purple laptop.

Mr Ryan said: “He had borrowed his mum’s computer to do work on that and, lo and behold, that was examined and police found two indecent images of children and two extreme porn images.”

The court heard police looked to see what other actions occurred on the computer.

“What they found were certain files were created on the same date as indecent images,” Mr Ryan said.

The jury was told school lesson plans were being created within hours of illegal porn files.

Police inquiries ruled out Mr Wise’s wife as being responsible for any illegal activity.

In interview with Detective Constable Joanna Hall, Wise repeatedly said he did use the laptops but could not account for how the illegal material had got onto the system.

“I sound like I’m repeating myself, but I don’t know,” he said.

“I don’t understand, I’m not interested in that kind of thing.”

Regarding the extreme pornography, he told police: “I’m not even an animal person.”

Quizzing DC Hall, Matthew Buckland, defending, asked whether his client had been cooperative.

She confirmed he had. She also confirmed he was of good character with no previous convictions.