A British man who ran an international paedophile network has been jailed for 20 years after admitting 25 charges including raping a young girl.
Thomas Govan, 23, was sentenced on Friday having previously also pleading guilty to sexual assault, making and distributing indecent images of children, and several counts of encouraging children to watch sexual acts.
The Metropolitan Police said they had uncovered a Telegram chat in May which found Govan, from Worthing, had sadistically groomed a 13-year-old girl to self-harm and degrade herself on camera. He then sold the images to other paedophiles online.
Officers later found out that Govan had also met with the girl on two occasions, and had filmed himself raping and sexually assaulting her – a video he went on to distribute.
He was arrested by police in Australia in May after the dismantling of an international sex-offenders group, the Met said.
It was suggested that Govan took advantage of a children’s game chat room.
He was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court to 20 years in prison, was also put on the sex offender register and was given a sexual harm prevention order.
Acting detective sergeant Lucy Fiander, from the Met’s Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation unit said: “Govan’s abhorrent offending and the impact on the victim-survivor and their family cannot be underestimated.
“My heart goes out to all of those affected.
“I want to thank both the Met officers for their diligence and professionalism, and the bravery of the victim-survivor and her family for their willingness to work with us.
“This has ensured a vile paedophile will no longer be able to take advantage of vulnerable children enjoying online games and chat rooms with their friends.
“We’ll do everything in our power to protect children, bringing to justice those predators who threaten their safety.”
