'Evil' paedophile group jailed

Four "highly manipulative, evil and dangerous" members of a paedophile ring have been jailed indefinitely.

Simon Wyn-Davies, 38, a soldier from Windsor, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court after pleading guilty to 22 counts of rape on a child under 13.

Judge Stephen John told him he would serve a minimum of 11 and a half years.

A charity worker from Northamptonshire, a retired farmer from Wiltshire, and an IT trainer from Bristol received indeterminate sentences last month.

Wyn-Davies pleaded guilty in March to the charges, which also included conspiracy to rape and distributing indecent images of children.

Peter Malpas, 47, from Moulton, Northamptonshire, is serving a minimum of five years and nine months after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a child aged under 13 and possession and distribution of indecent images of children.
Hotel sting

Nicholas Cordery, 63 from Malmesbury, Wiltshire, is serving a minimum of five and a half years after admitting two counts of conspiracy to rape a child under 13, and possession and distribution of indecent images.

Anthony Flack, 54, from Keynsham, near Bristol, is serving a minimum of five years having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rape a child under 13.

During a hearing at Reading Crown Court on 21 September, Judge Stephen John was told that the paedophile ring was foiled last year.

Prosecution said an undercover Met Police officer had contacted Flack via an internet chat room and arranged to meet him in a south-west London hotel with his "daughter".

On the date of the meeting, products had been found in Flack's hotel room including condoms, lubricant and a camera.

Judge John heard that Flack was arrested and photos were later found on his external hard drive which ultimately led to the arrest of Wyn-Davies.
 

'Other offences'

The Metropolitan Police said Wyn-Davies was the leader of the ring.

It added that officers were then led to Cordery after seeing messages in which he claimed he had contacts who could arrange "discreet meetings" in relation to children.

A police spokesperson said Cordery "offered his remote farm as a venue for abuse to take place".

Further enquires led to the arrest of Malpas.

Det Ch Insp Noel McHugh said the four men were "highly manipulative, evil and dangerous individuals".

He said: "I believe that these defendants will have committed other offences and I would therefore urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim to have the confidence to report the incident to the police. We are here to support and protect you."

The Met Police said that throughout the investigation officers viewed more than 100,000 indecent images of children and analysed 10,000 emails to help identify victims, scenes and suspects.