Briton jailed over global paedophile ring
Updated on 18 June 2007
A 28-year-old Briton who ran an Internet chatroom used by paedophiles around the world has been given an indeterminate jail term by a judge at Ipswich Crown Court.
Timothy David Cox admitted nine offences of possessing or distributing indecent images of children.
Judge Thompson said: "There were huge quantities of images.
"The personal collection found in your collection was over 75,000 images."
He added: "These are shocking images which involve very young children. In the worst cases being subjected to sadistic, painful abuse which you, for some distorted reason, appear to take enjoyment from...
The judge said Cox posed a "significant risks" and had to be imprisoned for "for public protection".
Cox was said by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) Centre to have hosted the website, masquerading behind the online identity "Son of God".
He was arrested in September last year, which allowed undercover officers to infiltrate the chatroom and gather evidence on other members.
Police saved 31 children from abuse after smashing the global Internet paedophile ring with more than 700 suspects worldwide.
It follows a ten-month police investigation involving agencies from 35 countries around the world.
The paedophiles used an Internet chatroom called "Kids the Light of Our Lives" to swap photos and videos of children being subjected to horrific sexual abuse.
According to Ceop about 200 of the suspects are based in the UK.
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