A drawing done by a sexual abuse victim
A drawing done by a sexual abuse victim is seen next to a stuffed toy, at the appeal court in Phnom Penh August 18, 2010. . Reuters/Chor Sokunthea

Two members of the paedophile gang are awaiting their sentences after they were found guilty of scheming sex crimes against children, toddler and babies by Bristol Crown Court, United Kingdom. Thirty-four-year-old Matthew Stansfield and 49-year-old John Denham have also been convicted of conspiracy charges.

Stansfield’s conviction include two charges of conspiracy to rape a child under 13, while Denham’s conviction was for a conspiracy to sexually assault a child under 13, although he was absolved from the crime of conspiracy to rape a child under 13. They faced a total of 30 charges.

Reports say the gang’s modus operandi was to start relationships with pregnant women only to sexually abuse their baby thereafter. And in order to perpetrate the felony more quickly, the gang in many instances, even tackled the most efficient way to drug victims and make them subservient.

The paedophile gang travelled across Europe and went as far as grooming both the father and the mother of the victim. Senior Investigating Officer Ian Glover said the authorities “encountered grooming, where the family have been groomed, prior to the birth of the baby.” Their sole intention was to abuse the baby after being born.

The group of paedophiles was described by the police as “monsters in disguise” conspiring with each other to “commit depraved and vile child sex offences.” They got their “kick” by streaming their acts online for fellow paedophiles’ pleasures.

Robert Davies, a prosecutor said their evidence was shocking to the conscience as they involved “babies, toddlers or pre-school children," including a 4-year-old boy who was ushered into a room while a paedophile engaged in a sexual activity for personal pleasure, as other men streamed the show live on the Web. Davies explained the child’s presence in that case was the arousing factor for those who were involved.

The gang, composed of seven men aged 30 to 51, concealed their true colours by projecting a respectable image having families and careers. Denham, for example, is married. He used to be a football coach for the youth and a father of two. UK’s National Crime Agency, in charge of the investigation, told the media the perverts met after discussing their sexual interests in young children on legitimate social media and adult content sites.

Stansfield and Denham were among those arrested after NCA launched an operation, codenamed Voicer, in September last year. The others have pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

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