PARENTS and former pupils of a shamed Taekwondo teacher jailed for possessing indecent images of children have reacted with shock and anger.

As the Barry and District News reported last week Ronald Thomas, of Court Road, Barry, was locked up for possessing 64 indecent images of children last Friday.

The images included 15 of the most serious category A images, 22 category B pictures and 27 category C ones, which were downloaded over two years.

The 65-year-old was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty.

Barry and District News Facebook users said they were "shocked" and "mortified".

Samantha Uphill wrote: "12 months in prison... disgusting lack of justice...."

Lewis Davies, who described Thomas as once being his "mentor and role model", said: "I'm so shocked at this... Someone, myself and others, looked up to in admiration only to find out he had these sort of intentions... it's amazing how from childhood to adulthood the world changes and you begin to see how dark it can be when the innocence fades."

Angel Sharp, meanwhile - a parent to children taught by Thomas - added: "He's an absolute disgrace... We were a very close club... He was in a position of trust and, as a teacher for over 20 years, has abused it in the most disgusting way... Fuming, upset, angry doesn't even come close to how I feel right now... Pathetic sentence for a disgrace of a man."

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Thomas was found to be in possession of still and moving images of child abuse, some of children as young as two.

On March 7 this year, it was said in court, police issued a warrant to search Thomas’ house and found the images on his Toshiba laptop.

The court also heard that Thomas had no previous convictions and that there was no evidence of improper conduct on his part during his classes.

In mitigation, defence counsel Timothy Hartland said that Mr Thomas had shown “clear remorse” and that he was motivated to address his issues.

Mr Hartland also pointed out that Thomas had pleaded guilty at the first reasonable opportunity, had co-operated with the police, and had been "honest and frank" without trying to minimise his crimes.

Mr Hartland also went on to say that this had already had a "catastrophic" impact on Thomas’ marriage and reputation.

In sentencing, Recorder Catherine Brown recognised Thomas’ lack of previous convictions and his expression of remorse and co-operation with the police.

But she said: "The public expects significant punishment for this type of crime."

She highlighted the nature of the images, the number of victims, their age and the length of time that offending took place as aggravating factors.

Thomas will also be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

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