Three people have been arrested in Ireland and Garda inquiries are ongoing after a UK-based investigation which led to the collapse of a global internet paedophile ring, write John Downesand Frank Millarin London
In an operation which British police say has led to the rescue of 31 children, officers broke up a child abuse network co-ordinated through a UK-based internet site called "Kids, the Light of Our Lives".
The investigation, co-ordinated by the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, involved agencies in 35 countries identifying more than 700 suspects. About 200 of these are based in the UK.
A spokesman for the Garda press office last night confirmed that, as a result of the "ongoing transfer" of intelligence from and collaboration with UK law enforcement agencies and the centre, a number of Garda investigations were established.
"We can confirm that one man was arrested and a number of searches took place," he said. "Some of these investigations are very much active and as such we are not in a position to divulge any further details."
Gardaí would not specify when the arrest took place.
Earlier yesterday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that it had made two arrests as a result of the investigation. One of those arrested is currently remanded in custody. A spokeswoman said files have been prepared and forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service. It is understood that the arrests in Northern Ireland were made some time ago.
At Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Timothy Cox (28) was given an indeterminate sentence which could keep him in jail until he dies, after a police "sting" on the website. It allowed users to exchange "shocking images" of babies and children subjected to "sadistic, painful abuse".
Cox, who used the online identity "Son of God", had more than 75,000 images of children on his computer as well as 1,100 videos. There was evidence that he had supplied 11,500 images to other paedophiles, sending an average of 200 images a day from his bedroom at the family farm at Buxhall, Suffolk, where he lived with his parents, sister and girlfriend.
Prosecutor Simon Spence said some films seized were of users "abusing their own children and filming themselves, then posting it in the chatroom". In one case a girl aged about five was shown being raped. After Cox's arrest last September undercover officers spent 10 days infiltrating the chatroom, assuming his identity to collect evidence about other users. Gordon Mackintosh (33), from Hertfordshire, tried to resurrect the website after Cox's arrest. He has admitted 27 charges of making, possessing and distributing the material and is due to be sentenced on June 29th.
A Department of Justice spokesman said it and the Garda took a "very proactive and robust approach to preventing and combating the heinous crime of paedophilia".