The BBC reports that an ex-army sergeant has been jailed for five years for directing child sex abuse films thousands of miles away via his webcam.

Michael Charnley, 52, of Denbigh, admitted a variety of offences, including four charges of inciting children to engage in sexual activity. Judge Philip Hughes, at Mold Crown Court, said in some cases the victims’ “distress is audible”.

The court heard he paid about £20 a time online to tell adults what to do to their victims. The children were all aged under 13, and one of them was just two.

North Wales Police, who work with law enforcement agencies around the world, arrested him and found 10,000 images and 356 videos of child sex abuse. Charnley was ordered to register with police as a sex offender for life, and a sexual offences prevention order was made in a bid to control his activities on the internet.

He admitted 17 offences of making child sex videos with 31 similar offences taken into consideration, two charges of possessing the images, and four of inciting children to engage in sexual activity – which carries a maximum life sentence.

Judge Phillip Hughes told him: “That involved you entering a chat line on your computer and talking to other adults in another country.” You gave them instructions so that the children were videoed on a camcorder as sexual acts were performed on them at your direction.”

He added: “Because of what you did these children were sexually abused and sometimes their distress is audible.”

The court heard Charnley has served 22 years in the British army and was discharged at the rank of sergeant.

Access the original article online at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/8545556.stm