'Depraved' paedophile paid for children to be tortured and abused as he watched online

26 October 2021, 07:30 | Updated: 26 October 2021, 07:34

A "depraved" paedophile who paid for children to be tortured and abused as he watched online has been jailed.

Brian Cairns admitted sending "large sums" of money to people in the Philippines in exchange for them abusing children, Northumbria Police said.

He would tell those he was in touch with about the vile acts he wanted carried out against victims as young as six.

The 60-year-old was tracked down after the force received intelligence that he was paying into foreign accounts.

He was arrested at his home in Washington, Tyne and Wear, in April 2019 and police found 11 Category B and C child abuse images on a hidden hard drive.

Read more: Police could bring in military to help investigate organised crime gangs

Skype messages were found which detailed the abuse Cairns wanted to see carried out against children.

Northumbria Police described him as a "depraved paedophile".

Cairns was charged with two counts of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

He pleaded guilty to the offences at Newcastle Crown Court and was jailed for 13 years, with an extended one-year licence period, on October 22.

Detective Constable Ian Beecroft said: "Cairns is clearly a danger to children and so it is only right he is behind bars for a long time where he can no longer abuse or harm anyone for his own gratification.

"I am pleased that this custodial sentence reflects the severity of Cairns' crimes.

"While no sentence could ever erase the trauma victims of these type of offences go through, hopefully it goes to show that we will do everything we can in our power to protect children from predators like Cairns, who think they can hide behind their computer screens.

"I would like to thank all the officers who took part in this investigation, including the digital forensic examiners who were able to uncover what Cairns had hidden on his devices.

"They all played in their part in ensuring a comprehensive prosecution case was put before the courts, meaning a dangerous offender had little option but to admit his guilt.

"I hope this serves as a lesson to anyone who thinks they can get away with this type of criminality."