MBE admits hundreds of child abuse images

AMAN appointed MBE for his 38 years of work with the probation service has admitted downloading hundreds of obscene images of children every month.

When police arrived to arrest Michael Nathan Cohen, there was an obscene video playing on his computer.

Llanelli Magistrates’ Court heard Dyfed-Powys Police carried out a search warrant at his home in Monksford Street, Kidwelly, taking with them hi-tech equipment to examine his computer.

Seventy-one-year-old Cohen made his way upstairs and repeatedly asked police to wait below.

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan said he was followed, and officers explained why they were there, to which he replied: “You are going to take the computer, the images are obvious on it, my life is over.”

An indecent video was playing on the computer and police had to stop Cohen moving his hands toward it, believing he wanted to delete it.

He later said: “This is the end for me.”

Upon interview, he told officers he downloaded 10 to 15 images a day and did it for sexual gratification.

Cohen said 10 to 14-year-old boys were his preference.

He pleaded guilty to possessing 16 category A indecent images -–the most serious – along with four category B and six category C, when he appeared before magistrates.

Officers were told his wife was very ill in a nursing home and no longer recognised him, that he never saw his sons and that he felt he would no longer be able to live in Kidwelly once his offences became public knowledge.

Mitigating, John Alchurch said: “He was employed as a probation service officer up until 10 years ago in Manchester.

He was one of the most senior probation officers where he had been employed for 38 years.

He was appointed MBE for his services. When he retired 10 years ago him and his wife went to live in Kidwelly.

“She is in a care home where he visits her regularly.”

Making a plea for bail for his client, he said: “He has two sons, and both will stay with him over the weekend at his Kidwelly home and if they can’t be with him any longer they will make arrangements for someone to be with him until the case has concluded.

“This is a case where he should be given bail, there is no risk of re-offending. The probation service says he should be kept in custody for his own protection. It would be wrong to remand this man in custody.”

Magistrates declined jurisdiction on the case.

They remanded Cohen in custody until July 24, when he will appear before Swansea Crown Court.