UK: Man jailed for operating as 'global moderator' on dark web child abuse site

In UK, 50-year-old Brett Saunders, resident of Swindon, has confessed to serving as a ‘Global Moderator’ on an illicit dark website that distributed child sexual abuse content. The National Crime Agency (NCA) discovered Saunders during an investigation into the hidden site, which boasted over 2,000 members and operated exclusively through Tor. The NCA honed in on a key figure, known as ‘Wetty,’ who actively managed the site by enforcing rules, responding to user inquiries, and providing guidance on evading law enforcement. Further scrutiny identified Brett Saunders as the individual behind the ‘Wetty’ account, revealing his prior convictions related to the sexual exploitation of children. In August 2022, NCA officers arrested Saunders at his residence in Freshbrook. Several devices, including a concealed laptop and a phone and hard drive hidden in an air vent, were seized. Saunders was found logged into the site on his laptop, where he admitted to holding the rank of Global Moderator and acknowledged uploading indecent images of children. Saunders, expressing a sexual interest in children, particularly girls aged 8-12, was found to have played a pivotal role in the site’s functioning. Data recovered from his account included over 3,000 posts and private messages, demonstrating his significant contribution and influence. How did the website work? The dark web platform operated on a points-based system, where users earned ‘reputation points’ for adhering to rules and sharing abusive material. Saunders managed the guest portal, deciding who gained entry based on reputation points. He uploaded 115 images and videos of abuse, including two disturbing images as part of a discussion on pre-teen marriage. Following his arrest, Saunders faced charges for violating a sexual harm prevention order, leading to a two-year and eight-month prison sentence. Subsequently, he faced nine additional charges, including arranging/facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13 and participating in organised crime. At Swindon Magistrates Court on January 19, Saunders pleaded guilty to all nine counts. His sentencing is scheduled for March 5, 2024. Adam Priestley, Branch Commander at the NCA, emphasized the severity of Saunders’ actions and the agency’s commitment to targeting such dark web platforms to bring offenders to justice.