A 77-year-old man who watched and paid for the online sexual abuse of young children in the Philippines has been sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment.

Colin Dyke, from Sheldon, Birmingham, was found to be in possession of still and moving indecent images of children as young as six months of age. He engaged in online conversations, of a sexual nature, with children and vulnerable families living in the Philippines. He then paid for the children to perform sexual acts while he watched them via a video conference facility.

At Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (26 February), he was jailed for 22 years after admitting 17 child sexual offences at an earlier hearing. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The grandfather of three was apprehended following an investigation by the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

Officers from West Midlands Police then executed a warrant at his home address and seized his computer and mobile phones. When they reviewed the devices, they discovered 49 indecent images of children and evidence that he had used social media accounts for sexual communication with children. The evidence also revealed that he had taken part in live video chats with children as young as nine, who were being sexually abused.

Dyke, who initially denied the offences in interview, pleaded guilty to six counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, four counts of paying for the sexual services of a child, four counts of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, one count of making indecent photographs of children and one count of attempting to pay for sexual services of a child.

The offences are believed to have taken place between July 2014 and March 2018.

Alisha Bartimus of the CPS said: “The defendant committed serious offences when he sought out images and videos of children, including a six-month-old baby being sexually abused.

"He made contact with vulnerable children and families in the Philippines, offering them money for their children to perform sexual acts for him. He also discussed and made arrangements for the sexual abuse of children as young as three years of age thereafter booking a ticket to travel to the Philippines to visit the persons he had made contact with.

“His actions show that he is a dangerous predator and he has now received a sentence that reflects the seriousness of his offending.”