Counter Pedophilia Investigate Unit

Five people, including a couple from Portsmouth, are to be sentenced for their part in an international paedophile ring which committed “horrific” crimes against two young children in the UK and one in Australia.

Ringleaders Melissa Noon and her partner Robert Hathaway are to hear their punishment at Portsmouth Crown Court along with three men they met over the internet to carry out the abuse.

A six-week trial heard that two young children were abused by the group in the UK, which used a nudist website as a guise for their perversions.Noon, 30, of Tyseley Road, Portsmouth, was found guilty of three charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, one of causing a child to watch a sexual act, two of sexual assault of a child, two of arranging a child sex offence, one of inciting a child in Australia to engage over the internet in sexual activity and two of possessing indecent photographs of children.

She had previously also pleaded guilty to two charges of cruelty to a child.

Hathaway, whose 37th birthday is today (19/12), also of Tyseley Road, Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to a total of 45 offences.

These are made up of two charges of rape of a child, four of sexual assault of a child, 15 of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, two of distributing indecent images of children, one of possessing prohibited images of children.

The other offences are one charge of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, three of arranging a child sex offence, four of making indecent photographs of children and 13 of possessing indecent photographs of children.

Lee Parson, 38, of Arundel Street, Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to one charge of arranging a child sex offence, three charges of possessing indecent photos of children and one of taking indecent photos of children.

Hampshire police launched their investigation into the ring after being tipped off by the authorities in Australia who had uncovered a “mirror image” ring there which also abused a young child.

Source: The Local