Darren Ashton, 52, from Somerset, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of live-streaming child sexual abuse from the Philippines and sharing indecent images of children. The case came to light following a detailed investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Ashton, who used the online alias ‘Daz from England,’ regularly accessed websites streaming live abuse involving boys aged 13 and 14. He expressed a preference for live “cam shows” over pre-recorded videos. Evidence recovered from his mobile phone also revealed a conversation with an approximately 11-year-old child in Singapore, whom Ashton encouraged to send indecent images.
The investigation was initiated with intelligence provided by the Philippines National Police, linked to the arrest of a Filipino national. NCA officers arrested Ashton at his home in Somerset and found 185 Category A, 244 Category B, and 266 Category C indecent images on his devices, along with 10 extreme or prohibited images.
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Ashton initially denied the offences during police interviews but later pleaded guilty to nine child sexual abuse charges at Taunton Crown Court on February 13. Alongside his prison sentence, he will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.
NCA Operations Manager Danielle Pownall condemned Ashton’s actions, emphasizing the devastating impact of live-streamed abuse on vulnerable children. She affirmed the agency’s commitment to international collaboration to identify and prosecute offenders involved in such crimes.