A “manipulative and obsessive” paedophile exploited the extreme poverty of a family in the Philippines to get children to perform sex acts for him on camera, a court has heard.
Vile Timothy Ford, aged 52, from Northamptonshire, was yesterday jailed after he admitted 23 offences, including paying for sexual services from a child and arranging or facilitating the prostitution of a child.
Northampton Crown Court heard how Ford preyed on a poor family in the Philippines and made contact with their parents via the internet.
He then wired cash to the parents in exchange for “sex shows” involving their children, thought to be boys as young as six.
Prosecuting, Mary Loram, said police initially raided Ford’s home in June 2011, seizing two laptops, a PC and DVDs.
They found files containing videos of children performing sex acts on themselves and abusing other children.
In some of the files Ford’s voice could be heard as he spoke to the children via Skype and talked to the parents about making payments, thought to be about £10 a time, for the sick “shows”.
Mrs Loram said Ford had also told other paedophiles in the UK and in America about the family. His conversations prompted the FBI to investigate.
Police found evidence other paedophiles had contacted the family.
Ford even bought a share of a property in the Philippines, where he planned to open an internet cafe with accommodation to be rented out “by the hour” upstairs.
During one exchange online Ford joked about setting up a travel agents called “Paedophile Vacations”.
Police also raided his home, in Burghley Street, Kettering, in May last year and found another collection of sick videos, build up while he was on bail.
The court heard Ford had previous convictions for sexual offences involving children dating back to 1992, when he was convicted of distributing indent images of children.
He was also jailed in 2001 for making indecent images of children.
Judge Rupert Mayo rejected a letter, written by Ford, saying he now recognised he needed “help” for his problems.
Instead, Judge Mayo blasted him, telling Ford he “enthusiastically promoted” the exploitation of children in the south east Asian country.
He told Ford: “In my judgement you are manipulative, obsessive and blinkered in your interests with prepubescent boys.”
Judge Mayo said he believed Ford would have ended up abusing children himself “if given a free hand”.
He added: “There is no doubt in my mind that you pose a significant risk to members of the public.”
Ford was jailed for eight and a half years, with a extended sentence of six years.
He will only be released from his sentence when he is no longer deemed to be a danger and will then spend an extended period on licence, and possible recall to prison, until 2028.