Wetwang pensioner 'porn baron' jailed for masterminding illegal sex video business

An 80-year-old "porn baron" has been jailed after masterminding an illegal business that secretly sold unregistered sex videos on the black market.

Barrie Templeman, from Wetwang in East Yorkshire, enlisted the help of his long-term partner Diane Atkinson, 67, to launder and cover up their significant profits.

After a complicated financial investigation, police discovered that unexplained large sums of money, including a single payment of more than £500,000, had been transferred as part of the operation and houses had been built.

They also found industrial-sized printers and flyers for the sale of pornography, Hull Crown Court heard.

Police arrested Templeman at his house in 2018. They had been led to search it because of his connection with a company called Acorn, which was selling unregistered pornography.

Atkinson refused permission for the police to carry out a voluntary search of her home in Great Hatfield and she was arrested. She told officers: "Please don't take my house."

Police found a credit card in the name of Acorn in her possession and a flyer advertising the sale of "videos". Atkinson admitted that Templeman had been storing items at her home.

In February 2021, after further inquiries, police made a further search at three properties associated with Templeman and found two large printers, six disc-writing devices, along with pornography which was uncertified and unclassified.

Stamped envelopes containing brochures were also discovered as well as £5,350 cash that was hidden inside a thermos flask, the court heard.

A complex financial investigation found hundreds of thousands of pounds had been deposited into Atkinson's account over several years. She claimed she had won the lottery.

During a police interview, Templeman answered "no comment" to most questions about the nature of his business and whether he had supplied pornography to sex offenders.

He denied that Atkinson knew about his business of supplying pornography. Atkinson claimed that she did not have any knowledge of a flyer advertising pornography. She denied any involvement in Templeman's businesses.

However, in court Templeman admitted possessing video recordings for the purposes of supply to others and possessing and acquiring criminal property. He had previous convictions and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Atkinson admitted converting and acquiring criminal property. She was jailed for two years and three months.

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