This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/6331517.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Men jailed for online rape plot | Men jailed for online rape plot |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Three men who used an internet chat room to hatch a plan to rape two young sisters have been jailed. | Three men who used an internet chat room to hatch a plan to rape two young sisters have been jailed. |
| They made "chilling references to the Soham murders" on a free and reputable website, Southwark Crown Court heard. | They made "chilling references to the Soham murders" on a free and reputable website, Southwark Crown Court heard. |
| David Beavan, 42, of Bransgore, Hants, Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, and Robert Mayers, 42, of Warrington, were found guilty of conspiracy to rape. | David Beavan, 42, of Bransgore, Hants, Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, and Robert Mayers, 42, of Warrington, were found guilty of conspiracy to rape. |
| They were given indeterminate sentences with an 11-year tariff for Beavan and eight-year tariffs for the others. | |
| The Metropolitan Police said it was the first time Internet chat logs had been used to prove a charge of conspiracy to rape a child. | The Metropolitan Police said it was the first time Internet chat logs had been used to prove a charge of conspiracy to rape a child. |
| Stark warning | Stark warning |
| Det Con Dave Adams said: "These three men took a step beyond fantasy and had actually identified the children they would target, the location where they would approach them and what exactly they planned to do to them. | Det Con Dave Adams said: "These three men took a step beyond fantasy and had actually identified the children they would target, the location where they would approach them and what exactly they planned to do to them. |
| "It is appalling to consider the potential repercussions if this hadn't come to police notice. | "It is appalling to consider the potential repercussions if this hadn't come to police notice. |
| The men did not meet until after their arrest | The men did not meet until after their arrest |
| "This case should act as a really stark warning that the Internet is not a hiding place to plan and participate in criminal acts." | "This case should act as a really stark warning that the Internet is not a hiding place to plan and participate in criminal acts." |
| Jurors heard the men were arrested after Beavan walked into Bournemouth police station and told officers what was going on in January 2006. | Jurors heard the men were arrested after Beavan walked into Bournemouth police station and told officers what was going on in January 2006. |
| Beavan, 42, a greeting card salesman, of Shackleton Square, Bransgore, Hants, claimed he was just a "vigilante" gathering evidence against paedophiles but was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to rape. | Beavan, 42, a greeting card salesman, of Shackleton Square, Bransgore, Hants, claimed he was just a "vigilante" gathering evidence against paedophiles but was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to rape. |
| Film make-up artist Alan Hedgcock, 41, from River Way in south-west London and Robert Mayers, 42, of Brighton Street, Cheshire, were found guilty of the same charge. | Film make-up artist Alan Hedgcock, 41, from River Way in south-west London and Robert Mayers, 42, of Brighton Street, Cheshire, were found guilty of the same charge. |
| All three admitted various charges including 50 sample counts of distributing, making and possessing thousands of indecent images of children. | All three admitted various charges including 50 sample counts of distributing, making and possessing thousands of indecent images of children. |