Three men who used an internet chat room to hatch a plan to rape two young sisters have been jailed.

They made "chilling references to the Soham murders" on a free and reputable website, Southwark Crown Court heard.

David Beavan, 42, of Bransgore, Hants, Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, and Robert Mayers, 42, of Warrington, were found guilty of conspiracy to rape.

They were given indeterminate sentences with an 11 year tariff for Beavan and an eight-year tariff for the others.

Indecent images

Jurors heard the men were arrested after Beavan walked into Bournemouth police station and told officers what was going on.

Beaven, 42, a greeting card salesman, of Shackleton Square, Bransgore, Hants, claimed he was just a "vigilante" gathering evidence against paedophiles but was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to rape.

Film make-up artist Alan Hedgcock, 41, from River Way in south-west London and Robert Mayers, 42, of Brighton Street, Cheshire, were found guilty of the same charge.

All three admitted various charges including 50 sample counts of distributing, making and possessing thousands of indecent images of children.

BBC News