ANTHONY FLACK JAILED IN KEYNSHAM FOR PARTICIPATION IN NATIONWIDE PAEDOPHILE RING

In September 2012, Anthony Flack, a 54-year-old bank manager from Keynsham, was sentenced to ten years in prison for his involvement in a national paedophile network. Flack arranged to meet a man and his ten-year-old daughter for sexual abuse in a London hotel, as revealed in court. However, he was arrested after the undercover police officer, known as 'Dave,' posing as a paedophile, uncovered Flack’s intentions.

Flack pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rape a child under 13, along with 11 counts of creating indecent images, one count of possessing 290 extreme pornography films, 51 images, and arranging or facilitating a child sex offence. Defence lawyer Nigel Lithman stated, "He did not meet a child, but is ashamed of his actions," and noted that Flack is of good character.

He was handed an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public with a minimum of five years served, and he was disqualified from working with children. Flack’s participation in the ring involved the abuse of young girls as young as nine, with thousands of videos and images shared among members.

The investigation, known as Operation Rockferry, was launched by the Metropolitan Police paedophile unit after uncovering efforts to seek opportunities to abuse children online. A police spokesperson explained, “In August 2011, a covert internet investigator engaged with Flack, who used the online alias 'WoofWoof.' He disclosed having previously raped a child under 13 and spoke of a man called 'Nick' who hosted paedophile parties at a farm. Flack met with an undercover officer in London, booking a hotel believing he was about to abuse the officer’s child.”

Other individuals jailed for their roles in the network include Nicholas Cordery and Peter Malpas, along with Fiona Parsons-Davies. Cordery, 63, from Murcott near Malmesbury, admitted to conspiracy to rape children under 13, making 1,191 indecent images, distributing such images, and possessing 185 images of extreme pornography. He received an 11-year sentence. Malpas, from Moulton, Northampton, pleaded guilty to child assault, sexual assault of a girl under 13, and possessing 88 movies and 697 indecent images of children. He was sentenced to 11 and a half years.

Parsons-Davies, 45, of Windsor, Berkshire, admitted to child cruelty related to failing to report sexual abuse, citing 'willful blindness,' and was sentenced to three years. Her husband, Simon Davies, 37, is due to be sentenced next month for his role in the gang.