THE Denbigh paedophile who targeted girls in the far east via the internet posed as a quiet man deeply concerned about helping African orphans.
And pervert, Michael Charnley, may have duped local residents into helping him raise funds for African orphans at a St Asaph fundraiser in 2005.
The 54 year-old from The Colomendy Estate was jailed for five years last week for some of the worst kinds of child internet porn heard by a UK court.
The former army sergeant directed films of child sex abuse featuring children as young as two from his computer at his Denbigh home, with youngsters believed to be in The Philippines.
Mold Crown Court heard how Charnley had to be pulled away from his computer when police raided his home last September.
Charnley told friends he was divorced and he was keen in keeping fit as a member of a local badminton club and attended an exercise club in St Asaph which he was last seen at three years ago.
In November 2005 he asked the club to help him set up an exercise fundraiser at St Asaph leisure centre to raise money for an African school which he told people 'was not very well run' and orphans he had met first hand on one of his many solo trips to the third world country.
Over 40 fundraisers helped on the day raising £1,900.
One fundraiser said she was ‘very, very shocked’ to hear about his conviction and he seemed like 'a quiet friendly chap' and 'just a regular guy trying to keep himself fit.'
To get the group on board Charnley showed pictures he had taken of the school, children, teachers and the class room.
"He was so distressed about the children I assumed he must have been a religious person, it all seemed genuine concern," she added.
After the event Charnley said, “I couldn't believe how many people gave up their Sunday morning for us.”
But in the end the money never went to Africa as Charnley said 'he was not sure the money was going to the right place, it was a long way away and he didn't trust the people he was dealing with' so he decided to spend it locally.
Charnley said the £1,900 raised by over 40 generous fundraisers would instead go to St Kentigern Hospice in St Asaph, but he never showed a receipt to anyone.
The leader of the exercise class said: "I hope my members who helped in that lesson won't feel their money didn't go to the right place. I didn't see any receipt for the money, my involvement was on a very genuine basis some years ago, I hope no body feels duped."
Police have now been informed and are looking into Charnley's finances.
Charnley worked in IT but it is believed he was made redundant and was struggling financially.
Sickeningly Charnley's personal profile picture on the social networking site Facebook, shows him posing with two very young oriental children holding teddy bears.
On the website he describes himself as interested in women and looking for friendship, dating, a relationship and networking.