Paedophile jailed after paying to livestream abuse

Stephen Lane made three PayPal payments, totalling around 5750 Filipino Pesos for live streams inciting abuse on young girls

A paedophile has been jailed for nine years after paying for the live streamed abuse of children.

Stephen Lane, 55, of Grosmont Close, Monmouthshire, was brought to the attention of the National Crime Agency (NCA) following the arrest of an individual in the Philippines who had been facilitating child abuse.

Lane had made three payments to her via PayPal, totally about 5750 Filipino Pesos (£76).

Officers arrested him at his home address where they seized a number of devices and after caution Lane said "I know it's wrong".

In messages sent between 22 March and 7 April 2023, Lane queried the ages of children in explicit images and asked to view content involving an eight-year-old in exchange for payment.

Lane had also sent messages before and during video calls where he repeatedly voiced concerns about value for money and refused to pay before seeing and confirming the ages of the children on screen.

A digital review found that he had communicated with 19 different Filipino women in order to view shows involving the abuse of children as young as five. Many of the children were described as the women's daughters.

He directed the abuse of children via the chat function on several occasions

On 11 September, Lane pleaded guilty to paying for sexual services of a child, causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, intentionally encouraging the distribution of indecent photographs of children, as well as making one Category A, two Category B and 12 Category C indecent images of children.

The facilitators in the Philippines have been arrested and the children involved safeguarded.

Phil Eccles, operations manager at NCA, said: "The live streamed sexual abuse of children is often facilitated by neighbours, friends or family members of victims, but demand for it is driven by offenders sat behind their screens.

He added that Lane repeatedly sought out, paid for and directed abhorrent abuse over multiple years, bartering over the price of horrific content, and requesting explicit videos of children.

"Today's result demonstrates our resolve to pursue those who pose a sexual risk to children, and our commitment to joint work with international counterparts in the Philippines to ensure they face justice."