Six men jailed over Scottish paedophile ring
Six of the eight men convicted of child abuse offences in a Scottish paedophile ring have received jail sentences.
The other two men, one of whom was a gay rights campaigner, are to be sentenced at a later date.
Ross Webber, 27, of North Berwick, Craig Boath, 24, from Dundee, Colin Slaven, 24, from Edinburgh, and John Milligan, 40, Neil Campbell, 46, and John Murphy, 44, all from Glasgow, received sentences ranging from two to 17 years at Edinburgh’s High Court today.
Webber, Boath and Milligan were all found guilty of conspiring to participate in the sexual abuse of children. They were also convicted of child abuse images offences.
Slaven, Campbell and Murphy were also found guilty of child abuse images offences. Campbell was cleared of a charge of conspiracy.
The other two men convicted in the case will be sentenced at a later date for more serious crimes.
They are James Rennie, 38, and Neil Strachan, 41.
Rennie, who was the former head of charity LGBT Youth Scotland, was found guilty of abusing one child over a four-year period. The child was three months old when the abuse began.
Convicted sex offender Strachan was found guilty of attempting to rape an 18-month-old boy and repeatedly touching a six-year-old boy indecently.
Both offenders were also found guilty of conspiring to participate in the sexual abuse of children.
Nearly 125,000 indecent images were seized during Operation Algebra, which uncovered the internet group.
The men had used web cameras and other means to plot and take part in sexual offences, including rape.
The offences were committed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and East Lothian between February 2004 to May 2008.
It is believed to be Scotland’s biggest paedophile network.
