A convicted Grays Paedophile sex offender, Michael Hyde, who violated his restrictions to assume the role of administrator for an online paedophile network has been sentenced.
Michael Hyde, 53, from Grays, Essex, participated in online chat groups where individuals exchanged illicit photographs and videos of minors and engaged in discussions regarding child sexual abuse material.
NCA officials were notified by the FBI in the US, possessing intelligence that suggested individuals were employing an encrypted network to produce and disseminate livestreamed child sexual exploitation photographs and videos.
Site users were categorised as ‘hunters’, who entered chatrooms to interact with minors and discuss their targets, or ‘cappers’, who groomed kid victims and surreptitiously recorded sexual activities to disseminate throughout the group.
The organisers would establish regulations, manage user inclusion and exclusion, and deliberate on strategies to conceal their illicit activities from law enforcement detection.
NCA investigators collaborated with international partners to penetrate the gang and identify perpetrators in the UK and elsewhere.
Michael Hyde was recognised as a premier moderator of the site and participated in the evaluation of other paedophiles seeking to join the club.
Michael Hyde was apprehended at his residence by NCA officers in May 2024. A limited quantity of cannabis and cocaine was discovered at his residence. He provided no reaction in response to all enquiries during the interview.
Michael Hyde faced multiple charges and appeared at Basildon Crown Court, where he entered a plea of guilty.
Michael Hyde received a sentence of 12 years and four months in jail at the same court today.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Daniel Waywell said: “Michael Hyde was already a convicted paedophile but continued his horrific crimes, using virtual private networks to hide his offending and work with other child sexual abusers on an online secure private group.
“Their depraved chat room discussed the best tactics to prey on their vulnerable child victims and how they could get away with their offending.
“Michael Hyde was a high ranking and valued member in the online paedophile ring and is a significant threat to children.
“The NCA, working with international partners, will continue our work to pursue offenders who put children at risk.”
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