Members of biggest paedophile ring in Scotland sentenced to 43 years

SIX members of Scotland’s biggest paedophile ring were yesterday jailed for periods of up to 17 years. Some of the men appeared stunned by the length of the sentences – totalling 43 years and ten months.

But a judge told them the downloading and distribution of indecent images of children – especially in huge quantities and involving the worst possible abuse – were crimes of “the most serious nature”.

Lord Bannatyne said: “These are not victimless crimes. There are real victims of these offences, namely the children who are photographed … many of very tender years and abused in the most appalling ways.

“Given what happens to these children, the effects on them must be serious.”

He added: “These types of offences are also serious in that they maintain the market for pornographic material.”

Eight men were convicted last month of a series of charges after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. Some women who had served on the jury returned to court for yesterday’s hearing.

Neil Strachan, 41, and James Rennie, 38, both of Edinburgh, who had committed actual abuse against youngsters, are facing life sentences and will be dealt with next month.

Of the six appearing before Lord Bannatyne yesterday, the heaviest sentence – 17 years – was imposed on John Milligan, 40, a civil servant, of Govan, Glasgow.

Also jailed were Craig Boath, 24, an insurance claims adjuster, of Dundee, who received nine years and nine months; Ross Webber, 27, a bank worker, of North Berwick, East Lothian (eight years and nine months); Neil Campbell, 46, a church-goer and the married manager of a cake business of Bearsden, Glasgow (three years and four months); Colin Slaven, 24, an IT worker, of Dalry, Edinburgh (three years); and John Murphy, 44, a trained teacher who worked part-time as a DJ in a gay bar and as a receptionist in a gay sauna, of Govanhill, Glasgow (two years).

Lord Bannatyne said all six would be banned from working with children. The first five would also be on the sex offenders register indefinitely; Murphy would be on it for ten years.

Lothian and Borders Police’s 18-month Operation Algebra began in late 2007 when a computer, linked to Strachan via his work with a paint firm, was sent for repair and indecent images were found stored on it.

Inquiries led detectives to Rennie – then the chief executive of LGBT Youth Scotland, which supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people – and raids were carried out on the homes of the other six men.

Up to 70 contacts of the group were identified throughout the UK and overseas, and some 35 arrests have been made.

Milligan, Boath and Webber were found guilty of conspiring with Strachan and Rennie and others to commit sexual offences against children.

On that charge, Milligan was jailed for ten years – the judge said he had been a “major player” in the conspiracy – while Boath received six years and Webber five years.

Milligan had been found in possession of more than 78,000 indecent images and he was given a further seven years for distributing images.

On distribution charges, Boath was sentenced to three years and nine months, Webber three years and nine months, Campbell three years and four months, and Murphy two years.

Slaven was convicted of possessing indecent images with a view to distributing them, and was jailed for two years. He had a year added for contempt of court, by turning up drunk one morning during the trial.

Boy’s father: ‘they’ve got what they deserve’

THE father of an abused child last night said he was satisfied with the sentences.

“I wouldn’t have any complaints about leniency. They’ve got a sentence that reflects what they’ve done and they’ve got what they deserve,” he said.

The child was abused by Rennie and Strachan, and Rennie also took indecent still photographs and movie clips of him. Others had discussed in chatrooms what they would have liked to do to the boy if they could get access to him.

The father added: “I think they would have carried out those atrocious and barbaric acts and I’m eternally grateful the police investigation uncovered those people and the things they described never actually took place.

“We saw in court at least one defence of, ‘I didn’t think it was real’. I simply can’t accept that. It has happened. It has happened to my son, who is a real person … And the effects on those real children are extremely distressing and traumatic and in many cases will damage them for the rest of their lives.

“I’m hoping both the convictions on the conspiracy charge and the sentences that go along with that set a legal precedent … and that it may serve as a deterrent.”