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The eighth member of a sickening paedophile ring who plotted to rape a seven-month old baby has been jailed today.

Matthew Law, 50, worked alongside seven others, including Hull man David Harsley, to conspire to abuse babies, toddlers and young children.

The gang used encrypted communication and the dark web to evade detection, and were branded 'monsters in disguise' after grooming mothers to gain their trust so they could have access to their children unspervised.

Harsley, 55, a hospital worker, befriended a "vulnerable" pregnant and single woman at a social club. He was looking after the boy and committed a sex act in front of the child while fellow gang members John Denham and Matthew Lisk watched over Skype.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a sexual activity with a child under 13 and was jailed for two years in 2015.

Law became an integral member of the group and is the eighth person to be convicted as part of a wider investigation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) following a two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court, reports Bristol Live.

(Image: SWNS)

Law, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to rape a child under the age of 13, first began communicating with a prominent of the pedophile ring, Christopher Knight.

Ringleader Knight, 38, of Manchester, was jailed for 24 years in 2015 after being convicted of rape of a child under 13 and conspiracy to rape a child.

The gang also communicated using regular lines of communication, including phone calls, texts and Skype messaging. This enabled officers to link them together and unravel their plans.

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

Watch: The criminals locked up last month

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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.”

Law was remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.

Among other convicted members of the paedophile ring are Robin Hollyson, 34, from Luton, who was found hanged in Bristol's Horfield Prison jail three months into a 24-year jail term.

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

The seven men were jailed for a total of 78 years after Adam Tom's confession sparked an investigation into the gang, who have now been revealed to have drugged babies and toddlers.

The gang would groom mothers – some while they were still pregnant – to gain unsupervised access to their children.

One baby was raped and sexually abused by three of the gang members over a period of months. The others watched on live internet feeds.

John Denham, formerly named Ben Harrop, 53, of Wiltshire, 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, of Hampshire, 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, of East Sussex, was sentenced to seven years for conspiring to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 and distributing indecent images of children.

Adam Toms, 37, of Yeovil, 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.

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