Jonathan Kay sent abusive parents money 'to help victims'

Jonathan Kay denies 10 sexual offence charges and one charge of perverting the course of justice

A man said he sent money to parents who sexually abused their children online as a way of helping the victims, a court has heard.

Jonathan Kay, 54, is accused of sending money to the Philippines so he could watch the abuse via webcams.

But he told the jury he only engaged with the parents as a "distressing chore" to support the children and to see live sex shows between adults.

Mr Kay, of King Henry V Drive, Monmouth, denies 10 charges.

Under cross-examination, the defendant denied he had destroyed a laptop computer by dropping it in a flooded quarry to stop the police examining it.

He told the jury it was because the device had belonged to his daughter and he did not want her caught up in the inquiry.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court was previously told Mr Kay made 190 bank transfers to the families but he said it was to stop children being exploited.

'Ordering abuse'

He also claimed to have sent the National Crime Agency a letter detailing the work he had done exposing child abuse.

But the NCA has no record of the letter and Mr Kay said he did not keep a record of it.

Mr Kay told the court he continued having sexualised conversations online "to keep my foot in the door" of paedophile hunter work.

The jury was read messages Mr Kay had received and he denied prosecutor Clare Wilks' charge he had "ordered the abuse of a girl aged 10 or 11".

He said there had "never been a time when child abuse sexually excited me".

He told the court: "I have never seen an indecent image of a child."

Mr Kay denies seven charges of arranging the commission of a child sex offence, two of possessing indecent images and one of perverting the course of justice.

The case continues.