John Denham

John Denham, 50 from Wiltshire and formerly known as Benjamin Harrop, was among seven paedophiles jailed for a series of child sex offences against a baby, toddler, and young child from 2013 to 2014. The ring, operating nationwide in England, raped and assaulted victims, streaming the acts online while offering encouragement and sharing drugging techniques for children via chat logs.

The group's methods included grooming families and long-distance travel to perpetrate abuse, with one plot targeting a pregnant woman to access her baby. Denham's involvement was uncovered in the NCA probe started by Adam Toms' September 2014 emergency call, revealing an organised network that commodified children for exploitation and material exchange.

At Bristol Crown Court, Judge Julian Lambert sentenced Denham to eight years' custody plus four years on licence, decrying the 'chilling tendency' to prioritise depraved desires over vulnerable lives. The acts were deemed 'shocking to all decent people'. Denham joined the others on the sex offenders register for life. The investigation's broader impact included protecting 21 at-risk children and prompting further global convictions.

• Source: BBC News, 11 September 2015.
• Quote from Judge: 'You each appear to have a chilling tendency to centre the world on yourselves and your depraved desires.'
• NCA: Led by Ian Glover, who noted the horrific treatment of children as tradeable items.