‘I was at a party and could not have made lewd images’
ATRAINEE primary school teacher has claimed he could not have been responsible for indecent images of children found on his computer because he was at a 1980s-themed fancy dress party when they were produced.
Iain Wise, 27, told a jury he did not believe he was present when illegal material was downloaded on to two laptops he was using.
The married defendant, of Ty’r Person in Church Village, denies 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.
Questioned by Matthew Buckland, defending, he told a jury at Newport Crown Court he was not present at the time the images were loaded onto the laptop. He illustrated this using photos he had taken.
He said he was in Philadelphia when some images were produced, and asleep in a car in Thatcham, in Berkshire, when others were made.
On another occasion, he said, he was at a 1980s-themed fancy dress party.
“We know that computer is contaminated with indecent images of children,” Mr Buckland said.
Hundreds of illegal films and pictures were discovered on his white Toshiba laptop, and a further four images on his mother’s purple laptop.
“Are you responsible for these images?” Mr Buckland asked. “I’m not,” Wise said. Mr Buckland said it was known a Skype account had been accessed from Wise’s white Toshiba laptop.
“Did you create that account?” Mr Buckland asked. “I did not,” Wise said. Mr Buckland asked whether he had ever used that account.
“I’ve never used that account,” Wise said.
The court previously heard explicit Skype chat logs were discovered on the system.
The defendant was asked whether he had taken part in any Skype chats discussing sexual activity involving young children. Wise denied he had.
Mr Buckland asked if he knew how the Skype account came to be on the computer. Wise, who has no previous convictions, said he did not know.
John Ryan, prosecuting, suggested to Wise in cross-examination that his pictures proved nothing and that he had created the illegal images.
“That’s the truth, isn’t it?” he said. Wise denied this.
Mr Buckland asked him whether he had altered any time stamps on his pictures. Wise said he had not.
The case continues.