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| Men plotted online to rape girl | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Three men who had never met have been convicted of conspiring to rape a girl under 16, based on internet messages. | Three men who had never met have been convicted of conspiring to rape a girl under 16, based on internet messages. |
| They hatched a plot to rape and allegedly murder a girl, making "chilling references to the Soham murders", Southwark Crown Court heard. | They hatched a plot to rape and allegedly murder a girl, making "chilling references to the Soham murders", Southwark Crown Court heard. |
| David Beavan, 42, of Bransgore, Hants, Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, and Robert Mayers, 42, of Warrington, were all cleared of plotting murder. | David Beavan, 42, of Bransgore, Hants, Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, and Robert Mayers, 42, of Warrington, were all cleared of plotting murder. |
| The trio, who will be sentenced next month, made their plans in a chatroom. | The trio, who will be sentenced next month, made their plans in a chatroom. |
| The jury heard the three men communicated with each other over a free and reputable site which allows users to chat and exchange photographs. | The jury heard the three men communicated with each other over a free and reputable site which allows users to chat and exchange photographs. |
| The court was told they discussed a variety of scenarios and even referred to doing a "Holly and Jess" - a reference to the Soham 10-year-olds murdered by Ian Huntley in 2002. | |
| Any agreement to commit acts such as rape - however remote the end result may be - has to be treated with the full force of the law Usha Shergill, CPS lawyer | Any agreement to commit acts such as rape - however remote the end result may be - has to be treated with the full force of the law Usha Shergill, CPS lawyer |
| Surveillance began after Beavan went to Bournemouth police with a DVD containing information from chat logs, the court was told. | Surveillance began after Beavan went to Bournemouth police with a DVD containing information from chat logs, the court was told. |
| There was no evidence they had met face to face before they were charged. | There was no evidence they had met face to face before they were charged. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said they believed it was the first case of its kind to appear before the courts. | The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said they believed it was the first case of its kind to appear before the courts. |
| CPS lawyer Usha Shergill told BBC News: "Any agreement to commit acts such as rape - however remote the end result may be - has to be treated with the full force of the law. | CPS lawyer Usha Shergill told BBC News: "Any agreement to commit acts such as rape - however remote the end result may be - has to be treated with the full force of the law. |
| "Working with Scotland Yard's Paedophile Unit before charge, I knew the moment to advise arrest and charge had come as soon as this discussion took place. | "Working with Scotland Yard's Paedophile Unit before charge, I knew the moment to advise arrest and charge had come as soon as this discussion took place. |
| "Even though the defendants had entered guilty pleas to the possession of indecent images, I opted not to drop the conspiracy charges and we rejected Beavan's claims that he was acting as a vigilante to try to prevent this event happening." | "Even though the defendants had entered guilty pleas to the possession of indecent images, I opted not to drop the conspiracy charges and we rejected Beavan's claims that he was acting as a vigilante to try to prevent this event happening." |