Child abuse ring 'librarian' jailed

Paedophile Philip Thompson, 27, was one of the kingpins behind the internet-based child abuse ring that reached 33 countries, including the UK, the US, Australia and Canada, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Thompson admitted 27 charges, including 16 counts of making indecent photographs of children, seven of distributing indecent photographs of children and one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Jailing the pervert, Judge Michael Taylor said Thompson posed a very "significant risk" to the public and therefore he would be imposing an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection.

Thompson was told he would have to serve a minimum jail term of three years and nine months and would be placed on the sex offenders register for life and banned from the internet and any contact with children.

The unemployed loner lived a quiet life with his mother in Gooseport Road, Stockton-on-Tees, using his benefits to collect films and memorabilia.

However, unknown to the outside world, the self-taught computer expert used his skills to moderate an invitation-only website featuring images of children.

Thompson, who told police he was the "librarian" for the site, was caught with a massive archive of nearly 250,000 perverted images on his computer, of which more than 3,000 were of levels four and five - the worst kind of child abuse images.

It emerged after sentencing that 15 British children have been saved from the clutches of paedophiles after Thompson was unmasked and his online activities stopped. The international network was infiltrated by law enforcement officers and dozens of suspects arrested.

The police have so far identified 360 further suspects worldwide, of which 130 were in the UK. To date 50 arrests have been made in Britain, including a police community support officer and a lecturer.