https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8518749/Paedophile-mastermind-darknet-sites-watched-thousands-globe-arrested.html

Police in France have arrested a man who is described as one of the top 10 most-wanted targets by authorities fighting sexual crimes.

A man in his 40s, who has masterminded several 'darknet' paedophilia internet websites, was apprehended by officers in the city Bordeaux, southwest France on July 7.

Bordeaux prosecutor Frederique Porterie: said: 'This internet user, identified as one of the 10 most-wanted targets... enabled thousands of Internet users across the world to have access to photographs or videos of a child pornography nature'

'He also appeared to have played an active role in the production of child pornography photographs or videos'.

Detectives and investigators managed to track down the suspect with the help of EU Europol's police agency.

The man, whose pornographic websites could only be accessed using specialist software to maintain anonymity amongst its users, accepted the charges made against him.

The suspect was also charged with the rape of a minor as well as the sexual assault of a 15-year-old.