But Detective Chief Inspector Alex Wood said police had expected the sentences, as the judge had to give credit for the men pleading guilty and sparing the time and expense of a trial. He said their ground-breaking investigation had brought forward changes in policing of paedophiles and legislation around the world, including the UK's tougher stance. The Wonderland Club paedophile ring was smashed by Operation Cathedral, the largest international operation to be co-ordinated by the National Crime Squad in London. Raids were staged around the world on 2 September 1998, leading to 107 arrests across the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and the United States. An enormous amount of pictures were uncovered from the defendants' homes, as well as computerised videos depicting children suffering degrading sexual abuse.
Children represent the future.
They should be cared for and protected. Baldock and Hines were placed on the sex offenders' register for life. The others were ordered to be kept on the register for seven years. All of the children involved were under the age of 16 and in one case the child was only three months. An album has been created and posted on Interpol's website to help police forces from around the world trace the victims of abuse.