Masterchef contestant, 41, tells trial that child porn images found on his computer were planted

A former MasterChef contestant replied: ‘B*******’ when he was accused in court of downloading indecent images of children. 

Caerwyn Harry William John Ash, 41, was a quarter-finalist in the 2016 series of the BBC food programme.

He is currently on trial at Cardiff Crown Court charged with possessing indecent images, prohibited images, and extreme pornography, and one count of attempting to pervert the court of public justice relating to allegedly threatening to publish sexually explicit material involving police officers.

Ash, of Kilvey Terrace, St Thomas, Swansea, told the court on Wednesday he gave a hard drive to a photographer called Trevor James before he received it back. 

Mr James appeared as a witness in court where he denied ever being given a computer or a hard drive by Ash but did admit getting to know Ash via a website called Fab Swingers and agreeing to making consensual sexual videos involving Ash.

Caerwyn Harry William John Ash, 41, was a quarter-finalist in the 2016 series of the BBC food programme

Barrister James Wilson told the court that illegal images were found on more than one device and put it to Ash: ‘Is it not a fact that illegal images were originally on one hard drive and you transferred them onto another hard drive?’ Ash replied: ‘No.’ 

Mr Wilson told Ash that he was trying to blame others and failing to take responsibility for his actions to which the defendant responded: ‘I would not go to all this trouble if I didn’t think I was innocent, which I am. I have never seen these images.’

Ash went on to allege that images were planted onto his devices and was asked by Mr Wilson if numerous files found which did not contain illegal images were created or named by him. He said some were but that it was impossible to say with regards to others, claiming that he had no knowledge or recollection of some of them.

When Mr Wilson put it to Ash that he was solely responsible for the illegal images the defendant replied: ‘B*******. I have no knowledge of these images – never have done. I have never seen these images.’ 

The court has previously heard how police executed a search warrant at Ash’s partner’s house in Morriston in April 2019 and seized a number of electronic devices from a shed or office garden at the property. 

The barrister said indecent images and extreme pornography were subsequently found on a computer tower and a computer hard drive.

Last week the jury was told of interviews that took place between Ash and police officers from South Wales Police after his arrest. 

Mr Wilson read transcripts of those interviews to the court. Ash told police that ‘a whole list of other people’ had access to his equipment, adding that ‘they had access to everything in the house’. The trial continues.