Ex-visitor services warden at Buckingham Palace jailed over child abuse images

A former visitor services warden at Buckingham Palace has been jailed for nine months after downloading more than 15,000 child abuse images.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jun 2018, 14:45 BST
Updated 5th Jun 2018, 15:47 BST
Tony Aslett who has been jailed for nine months after downloading more than 15,000 child abuse images. Photo credit: NCA/PA WireTony Aslett who has been jailed for nine months after downloading more than 15,000 child abuse images. Photo credit: NCA/PA Wire
Tony Aslett who has been jailed for nine months after downloading more than 15,000 child abuse images. Photo credit: NCA/PA Wire

Tony Aslett, 52, from Pagham, West Sussex, was jailed at Kingston Crown Court on Monday after he admitted seven counts of making indecent images of children, the National Crime Agency said.

He was originally arrested at Buckingham Palace on April 27 2015, after officers searched his home and found the appalling images, including victims as young as 18 months old, on two laptops, three USB sticks, a computer tower and a tablet.

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His ex-partner told police he spent a lot of evenings alone in his bedroom.

Aslett's crimes had no link to his place of work. He was employed by Royal Collection Trust from February 2014 as a Visitor Services Warden and was suspended when he was arrested, and later sacked.

He was charged in December 2015, but then staged a protracted legal battle claiming he was too ill to stand trial.

NCA branch commander Mark McCormack said: "Aslett repeatedly claimed he was too ill to stand trial. He owned all the devices that contained the depraved images and had amassed his collection over several years.

"People like Aslett are directly responsible for perpetuating the physical abuse of defenceless children by viewing and copying the images and videos."