Man sent child abuse messages during community service

A man has been sentenced after sending “graphic” messages about raping a young girl to someone he met during community service.

Jamie Aston, 34, formerly of Arthur Street, Blaengwynfi, Afan Valley, sent the disturbing messages in May last year to a man he had met whilst carrying out his community order.

Ian Wright, prosecuting at Swansea Crown Court, told the court: “In the messages the defendant talked about watching the other man rape a young girl. The court heard Aston used explicit language in describing the imagined sex acts.”

The recipient was so concerned he took screengrabs and contacted police. Aston responded by deleting his Facebook profile and discarded his phone when officers went to arrest him, though they recovered the device.

Robin Rouch, defending, said the offence was committed when his client was heavily addicted to cocaine and the messages were sent, in part, to “shock” the other man. He said there was never any intention for the acts to be carried out.

At the time of the offending, Aston was subject to a 15-month suspended sentence from Chester Crown Court for theft involving tens of thousands of pounds worth of saddles and tack stolen from horse shows.

Judge Geraint Walters said: “What possessed you to behave that way is beyond me.”

Aston was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for 18 months and fined £500 for breaching his previous suspended sentence.