UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre reported that the British police rescued 31 children from an international internet pornography ring, composed of 700 suspects – 200 in Britain.

Child safety authorities in more than 30 countries took part in the action, which spanned 10 months, the centre said.
According to CEOP, ‘Kids the Light of Our Lives’ was an Internet chat room dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children, used by hundreds of members worldwide for trading multimedia material, including photographs and videos of children being subjected to sexual abuse and serious sexual assault.

CEOP has identified that the website was hosted by 27 year old Timothy David Martyn Cox. He was arrested in September 2006 and when forensic teams examined Cox’s computer they found 75,960 indecent and explicit images in addition to evidence that he had supplied 11,491 images to other site users. He has been convicted at Ipswich Crown Court and now awaits sentence.

“From the apparent ‘safety’ of his home, Cox spent hours each day planning, promoting and encouraging the abuse and exploitation of innocent young victims. In doing so he provided a service to hundreds of like minded individuals, enabling those with a sexual interest in children to share indecent images and discuss further plans for abuse" said Jim Gamble, CEO at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and Chairman of the Virtual Global Taskforce.

The investigation uncovered another member of the same ring, Gordon Mackintosh from Hertfordshire, who attempted to keep the website going after Cox was arrested. McIntosh’s computer was found to contain 5,167 indecent and explicit images of children, in addition to 392 indecent movie files. He pleaded guilty to 27 charges of making, possessing and distributing indecent images and movies. He awaits sentence.

“Any individual who thinks they carry out such horrific activities undetected is in for a very rude awakening. The belief that the Internet provides anonymity is unfounded and for Cox and Mackintosh it has already proved to be a costly misconception", added Jim Gamble.