DAVE BUCKLEY AND BRETT MCBAIN FROM BALHAM AND GOOLE SENTENCED FOR DARK WEB CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, two men have been sentenced for their involvement in creating and operating a dark web chat platform dedicated to sharing and distributing horrific child abuse images. The offenders, David Buckley, aged 54, from Goole in East Yorkshire, and Brett McBain, aged 51, from Balham in South London, were found guilty of establishing a now-defunct online channel known as #TheOtherPlace in 2014.

Initially, the pair claimed that the platform was intended as a space for the “respectful appreciation of youthful beauty,” but the reality was far more sinister. The chat room became a hub for up to 60 users at a time, who exchanged links to an appalling volume of indecent images of children. Over a span of just 24 hours, the platform facilitated the sharing of as many as 2,500 such images, many of which were classified in the most severe Category A, indicating the most extreme level of abuse.

Over the course of two years, Brett McBain, who styled himself as the “King of the Castle,” shared approximately 200,000 indecent images through the chat room. Meanwhile, David Buckley contributed by posting links to more than 30,000 such images. The Old Bailey court heard detailed evidence of their activities, which revealed the extent of their involvement in this heinous crime.

McBain, who was residing in Balham, pleaded guilty to ten charges related to the distribution of indecent images. Buckley, from Goole, who had adopted an online persona as a woman under the username Ladybird to attract more attention, admitted to conspiring with McBain to distribute these images. The court was told that Buckley had posted links to over 30,000 indecent images himself.

Judge Recorder Brian Altman QC sentenced McBain to five years in prison, while Buckley received a three-year sentence. During the sentencing, the judge emphasized the gravity of the case, stating, “This is an extremely grave case of its kind. Particularly in the case of McBain, the very high numbers and nature of the images involved are quite simply staggering.” He further described the platform as a channel established specifically for the purpose of disseminating “the most disgusting images of children one could ever imagine.”

Investigations revealed that the two men had initially connected through another similar dark web channel before deciding to create their own rival platform. Interestingly, they never met in person. Buckley’s online persona, Ladybird, was used to garner more attention and possibly to conceal his true identity.

Authorities from the National Crime Agency (NCA) were alerted to the case after Western Australian Police identified a user with the username “MrBrett” as a constant presence in the chat room. This lead to the arrest of Brett McBain at his Balham residence in May of the previous year, while he was logged into #TheOtherPlace. During his arrest, McBain admitted to officers that he was “officially screwed,” as he was found in possession of over 160,000 child abuse images. Additionally, he possessed an electronic diary that detailed his disturbing fantasies of sexually abusing children, further highlighting the severity of his crimes.