Peter Ash

Peter Ash, a 52-year-old registered sex offender from Truro, Cornwall, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Friday, 13 February 2025, to 21 months in prison for multiple breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, possession of extreme pornography, and failing to comply with his notification requirements as a sex offender.

In 2022, Ash had been convicted of possessing child sexual abuse images, resulting in the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to manage his risk to the public and prevent further offending. The order required him to notify police of any new electronic devices, refrain from using encrypted applications or virtual private networks (VPNs) without permission, and allow monitoring of his internet activity.

Devon & Cornwall Police received intelligence in September 2025 indicating that a user on an online platform was engaging in communications discussing child abuse. Investigations identified Ash as the individual responsible. Officers arrested him at his home in Kenwyn Hill Caravan Park, Truro, where they discovered he had concealed a mobile device in an attempt to evade detection. This concealment, along with his use of encrypted apps and a VPN to mask his IP address and obscure his internet history, constituted several breaches of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

An examination of the seized device revealed an image depicting a person carrying out a sex act on a dog, leading to the additional charge of possession of extreme pornography. Ash pleaded guilty to all charges at Truro Crown Court.

As part of his sentence, Ash was required to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years. Police Constable Dean Martin from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team commented: “I welcome the sentence given to Peter Ash at Truro Crown Court. The conditions of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order are strictly imposed to manage risk and protect the most vulnerable members of our community in Devon and Cornwall. We take any violation of court-ordered conditions extremely seriously and this investigation highlights our commitment to proactive monitoring and our refusal to tolerate any behaviour that undermines public safety or the welfare of those - human or otherwise - who cannot protect themselves. Peter Ash made determined efforts to mask his internet history, showing no regard to the order previously given to him to curb his offending and protect others.”

The case underscores Devon & Cornwall Police's dedication to enforcing protective orders and investigating online child exploitation, with the force based in the South West of England.