MP Caroline Ansell has written to the Attorney General asking her to review the ‘unduly lenient’ sentence of an Eastbourne paedophile who helped run a global child pornography website.
Martin Yates, 45, was sentenced to five years and four months at Lewes Crown Court for his crimes last month.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing in relation to his role as an assistant moderator of a now closed dark paedophile website called The Annexe that had 90,000 members across the globe.
Caroline has contacted Victoria Prentis and asked her to review the jail term under the Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme.
The MP said in the letter: Mr Yates was a key figure in the organisation. As an assistant moderator he was responsible for enforcing rules, promoting users, advising on security measures and training.
“I do not believe his sentence matches the severity of his crime, the harm on victims, his role in the organisation and, crucially, the sentences granted to other perpetrators in similar positions.”
Caroline explained Yates’s ‘superior’ Nathan Blake was jailed for sixteen years. The lead perpetrator behind the site was jailed for life in the United States. Other sentences in the US ranged from six years to 28.
“It has been reported that discussions between moderators were like staff meetings and so I believe Mr Yates shares the responsibility of those like Mr Blake who were given longer sentences.”
She added: “I do not feel that significant variation in sentences is justified. The continuing impact for victims will be lifelong and significant. I can only imagine the pain the parents of the children and toddlers must be feeling.
“This sentence does not, in my view, contribute to a sense of justice for them. I would be most grateful for a review of this sentence and look forward to your response.”
Yates pleaded guilty to four counts of making and distributing indecent images of children, one of arranging or facilitating the sexual abuse of children and one of possession of prohibited images of children.
The National Crime Agency tracked him down to Eastbourne following an international investigation.
Officers discovered 6,000 private messages between Yates and other users of The Annexe. Conversations included fantasy roleplay involving the sexual abuse of children and advice on how to post indecent images of children and evade the police.
