Two Britons charged over 'paedophile ring'

The charges came after a series of global raids

Two British men have been charged with involvement in an alleged worldwide internet paedophile network.

Michael Hartney, 34, of Sigrist Square, Tempest House, Kingston upon Thames, south west London, is charged with making indecent photographs of children between 25 May, 2001 and 20 March, 2002.

And Ian Margretts, 29, of Tunberry Close, Bicester, Oxfordshire, is charged with the same offence between 23 November, 2001 and 20 March, 2002.

Mr Hartney, a computer software engineer, and Mr Margretts, a graphics designer, are further charged with distributing indecent images of children between 25 May, 2001 and 20 March, 2002.

Video clips

Both men were arrested in dawn raids by officers from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU)and were among 12 men arrested in a worldwide swoop covering 10 countries.

The men were accused of being part of a sophisticated network, called "The Round Table", which allegedly traded in thousands of photographs and video clips of child pornography.

The Britons were charged under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and have been bailed to appear at Bicester Magistrates Court on 26 March.

NHTCU officers held a secret Interpol meeting in Lyon several weeks, with officers from Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Detective Superintendent Mick Deats from the newly formed NHTCU said the operation had begun about four months ago and the children involved in the alleged ring could be anywhere in the world.

The operation, codenamed Artus, follows the jailing last year of seven Britons for their part in the world's biggest internet child pornography ring, the Wonderland Club.