Paedophiles’ jail terms cut

Lee Davis (40), of Rowena Road, Conisbrough, was locked up for life with a minimum of 12 years after a court heard how he raped one youngster and abused numerous others.

His HIV-riddled accomplice, 54-year-old Anthony Marsh, from Hatfield, was given a life sentence after admitting a raft of offences last December.

But judges sitting at London’s Appeal Court on Monday slashed Davis’ sentence to life with a minimum of eight years and reduced Marsh’s from a life term to 12 years.

Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice Holroyde and Mrs Justice Andrews, sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court, heard that the pair, who are both married with children, led sick double lives as paedophiles, using social networks such as Facebook and Bebo, as well as specialist gay websites, to befriend boys.

After grooming teenagers as young as 13 online, they met their victims and sexually abused them, filming what they were doing.

Police found a library of films hidden in the cellar of Davis’ home, showing him abusing the boys, whilst Marsh uploaded films of abuse and shared them on the internet.

Lady Justice Rafferty said: “Usually they passed their victims between themselves, boasting about it on the internet.

“Each boasted that they wanted the child to be as young as possible at a time when each was married with children.”

However the judge went on to say that Marsh’s life term had to be overturned because it was unlawful as none of the numerous offences he committed allowed such a sentence to be imposed.

Davis’ life term remained in place, but his minimum tariff was cut by a third after the court ruled he had been given insufficient credit for pleading guilty.

Lady Justice Rafferty said Davis “could hardly have been more candid” in admitting his crimes to the police.