A man who was part of a paedophile ring has been found guilty of plotting to rape a seven-month-old baby.

Mathew Law, 50, is the eighth person to be convicted as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), following a two week trial at Bristol Crown Court.

He first came into contact with the paedophile ring, who communicated using anonymous software Tor and the dark web, through prominent member Christopher Knight.

Matthew Law, 50, admitted plotting to rape a baby (Picture: SWNS)

Knight, 38, was jailed for 24 years in 2015 after being convicted of rape of a child under 13, conspiracy to rape a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13 and possessing indecent images of children.




Law pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child under the age of 13 and has been remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.

‘Mathew Law is the eighth individual to be jailed since this investigation began in 2014,’ Luke Phillips from the NCA said.

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‘Today’s conviction shows how determined the NCA is in its fight against those with a sexual interest in children and will leave no stone unturned in the relentless pursuit of offenders.

‘If you are engaging with people online and watching and, or, sharing indecent images of children, you will be identified and brought to justice.’

Other convicted members of the paedophile ring are Robin Hollyson, 34, who killed himself just three months into a 24 year jail term.

Hollyson had admitted filming himself raping a three-month-old baby in what the judge had called ‘one of the most horrific abuse cases on record’ at the time.

The former IT worker, from Luton, Bedfordshire, was found unresponsive in his cell at HMP Bristol in January 2016 and died in hospital two days later.

The defendant underwent a two week trial at Bristol Crown Court (Picture: PA)

John Denham, formerly named Ben Harrop, 53, was sentenced to 12 years in jail for conspiracy to rape a child under 13, conspiracy to sexually assault a child under 13, distributing indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

Matthew Stansfield, 38, was jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to rape a child under 13, breach of Sex Offenders Prevention Order (SOPO) and making/possessing indecent images of children.

Matthew Lisk, 36, was sentenced to seven years for conspiring to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 and distributing indecent images of children.

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David Harsley, 55, was sentenced to two years for conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13.

While Adam Toms, 37, was sentenced to 16 years for rape of a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13, administering a substance and possessing indecent images of children.

Judge Julian Lambert told the group that they were ‘evil beyond rational understanding’ during their sentencing.

‘In the worst nightmare, from the very deepest recesses of the mind, at the darkest hour of the night, few can have imagined the terrifying depravity which you men admit,’ he said.

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