Berkhamsted paedophile network explained
In 2016, police discovered a child sex abuse network run from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, England. Eight of the men were convicted and some received significant prison sentences.
The discovery resulted in a police investigation in 2017 which helped to uncover many other child abusers worldwide.
Operation Pendent
Operation Pendent was a child sex abuse investigation in 2017 into the Berkhamsted network; it was led by Hertfordshire Constabulary, and helped to uncover many other child abusers worldwide. One suspect in the United States was arrested within 48 hours of information being passed to Homeland Security.
Media restrictions
For much of 2017, media reporting on the criminal proceedings members of the network was under reporting restrictions. Restrictions were lifted on 20 December 2017, when six offenders were sentenced.[1] [2] A seventh was jailed in February 2018.
Sentences
| Perpetrator | Conviction(s) | Sentence |
|---|
| Michael Emerton (leader)[3] | Rape of a child (4 counts), inciting a child to partake in sexual activity (3 counts), conspiring with others to rape or commit sex acts with or in front of a child | Nine life sentences |
| Bruce Child | Rape of a child, indecently assaulting a child younger than 16, grooming a 12-year-old child, making indecent photographs of children taken from the internet. | 18 years, 6 years concurrently, 3 years[4] [5] |
| Thomas Perry | Conspiring to rape a child younger than 13, planning sex acts with a child younger than 13, causing a child to witness sexual activity | 14 years[6] |
| Paul Stevens | Conspiracy to rape a child younger than 13, planning sex acts with a child younger than 13 | 10 years |
| Matthew Webby | Sexual acts with a child (2 counts), conspiring to rape a child, planning sex acts with a child, possessing indecent images of children | 9 years |
| Robert Lindsay | Conspiring to rape a child, planning sex acts with a child, inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, making indecent photographs of a child | 7½ years[7] |
| Simon Wintle | Sexual activity in front of a child | 2½ years |
| David Overall | Accessing and distributing indecent photographs of children | 2 years[8] | |
External links
Notes and References
- News: Paedophile ring jailed for online abuse of children . Hertfordshire Constabulary . 21 December 2017 . 26 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181231041101/https://www.herts.police.uk/news-and-appeals/Paedophile_ring_jailed_for_online_abuse_of_children_1355 . 31 December 2018 . live . en.
- News: Paedophile ring jailed for online abuse of children - Hertfordshire . Crown Prosecution Service . 20 December 2017 . 26 Dec 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181227203700/https://www.cps.gov.uk/thames-and-chiltern/news/paedophile-ring-jailed-online-abuse-children-hertfordshire . 27 December 2018 . live . en.
- News: Berkhamsted paedophile ring boss given nine life terms . 26 December 2018 . BBC News . 21 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181019022212/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-42438082 . 19 October 2018 . live . en.
- News: Clugston . Harriet . Five members of 'merciless' Hertfordshire paedophile ring jailed . 31 January 2019 . Hertfordshire Mercury . 21 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180311071538/https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/five-members-merciless-hertfordshire-paedophile-958953 . 11 March 2018 . live . en.
- News: Paedophile ring boss admits more crimes . BBC News . 1 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190615230333/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-48126190 . 15 June 2019 . live.
- News: Caretaker tried to meet girl, 12, for sex . The Argus . 29 March 2017 . 25 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190125004906/https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/15188800.caretaker-tried-to-meet-girl-12-for-sex/ . 25 Jan 2019 . live . en.
- News: Bexhill pervert jailed for grooming schoolgirl . Bexhill Observer . 29 March 2017 . 25 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329205731/http://www.bexhillobserver.net/news/bexhill-pervert-jailed-for-grooming-schoolgirl-1-7890151 . 29 Mar 2017 . live . en.
- News: East Sussex man gets 18-year sentence for child sex offences . Sussex Police . 11 May 2018 . 26 Dec 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181231040942/https://sussex.police.uk/news/east-sussex-man-gets-18-year-sentence-for-child-sex-offences/ . 31 December 2018 . en.
- News: Bexhill man jailed for child sex offences . Bexhill Observer . 10 May 2018 . 25 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180510203347/https://www.bexhillobserver.net/news/crime/bexhill-man-jailed-for-child-sex-offences-1-8494321 . 10 May 2018 . live . en.
- News: 'Depraved' supermarket boss jailed for web rape plot of young customer . 26 December 2018 . Hemel Today . 20 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180220173427/https://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/depraved-supermarket-boss-jailed-for-web-rape-plot-of-young-customer-1-8385442 . 20 February 2018 . live . en.
- News: Northchurch man sentenced after planning to rape schoolgirl . 26 December 2018 . Mix 96 . 20 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181231040517/https://www.mix96.co.uk/news/local/2507442/northchurch-man-sentenced-after-planning-to-rape-schoolgirl/ . 31 December 2018 . live . en.
- News: Whieldon . Fraser . Paedophile to be kept off the streets for two more years . 30 December 2018 . Herts Advertiser . 29 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180511113734/https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/court-watch/markyate-paedophile-sentence-increase-1-5455422 . 11 May 2018 . live . en.
- News: Hertfordshire paedophile will spend longer in jail . 30 December 2018 . GOV.UK . 6 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181231035331/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hertfordshire-paedophile-will-spend-longer-in-jail . 31 December 2018 . live . en.
- News: Elvery . Martin . Stevenage paedophile admits making and sharing indecent images of children . 30 December 2018 . The Comet . 8 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206024222/http://www.thecomet.net/news/stevenage-paedophile-admits-making-and-sharing-indecent-images-of-children-1-5227393 . 6 February 2018 . live . en .
