A South African from Cape Town faced the harsh reality of his actions after distributing nearly 3,000 child pornographic images on the Darknet. He is set to serve eight years in prison. The capture comes after Belgian authorities traced the paedophile’s IP address from another CP admin’s computer. There is great evidence to say more captures will soon follow from CP administrators across the globe.
Caught Red-Handed
A 66-year-old Cape Town man received an eight-year imprisonment sentence by the Wynberg Regional Court for the illegal possession and distribution of 2,950 child pornographic images.
Jan Hendrik Le Roux, 66, allegedly formed part of an international child pornography network on the dark web. The group is believed to have also discussed child abduction and child sexual abuse.
Le Roux’s conviction came after prosecutor Xolani Ncobo proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Le Roux was part of an international child pornographic network on the dark web. Le Roux pleaded that he was sexually abused as a child and never received trauma counselling.
Eric Ntabazalila, a regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said in a media release, “He admitted having the images after importing them from the dark web, Gigatribe, but wanted to see if the people sharing the images were a group of paedophiles like the people who molested him when he was young.”
State prosecutor Xolani Ncobo dissected Le Roux’s explanation and asked him “how he plan on establishing that the people on the dark web were the same individuals that molested him?” In response, Le Roux mutled an unclear answer.
Additionally, Ncobo shot down Le Roux’s argument, saying that users on the dark web use pseudonyms, and there was no way he would have known who they are.” In his defence, Le Roux alleged that the pornographic images were obtained for “investigative purposes.”
The state further argued that Le Roux knowingly used Gigatribe for a long period without informing the police.
“He was addicted to child porn and his actions were not innocent with pure intentions but had the intention to possess and import the material. The material was gruesome and showed the person possessing it had terrible intentions for children.”
On Wednesday, December 6th, the Wynberg Regional Court handed down Le Roux’s eight-year imprisonment sentence and declared him unfit to own a firearm.
What We Know About His Arrest
The investigation into Le Roux began after Belgian police arrested one of their nationals for sharing child pornographic material with the accused using a peer-to-peer network. Belgian police assumed control of the IP address of the man they arrested and began an undercover operation.
Officials used the IP address to trace other IP addresses of criminals linked to the individual. Le Roux’s IP address was traced back to South Africa. Belgian officials immediately alerted South African law enforcement agencies of Le Roux’s involvement with the darknet child pornographic network.
Le Roux’s arrest came shortly after law enforcement was alerted of his criminal involvement with distributing child pornography. When questioned by the state’s prosecutor, Le Roux openly admitted to purchasing material for investigative purposes.
It’s unclear as to how much Le Roux spent on the images or how he paid for the material. In the past, criminals have purchased illicit items off the dark web with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero.
Criminals who purchase illegal child pornographic images are subjected to heavy sentences in South Africa. Anyone who knowingly distributes child pornography in South Africa and is found guilty of an offense upon conviction shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years.
Le Roux was charged by The Nationa Prosecuting Authorities for the illegal distribution and possession of 2,950 child pornographic images. Provincial director of public prosecutions advocate Nicolette Bell welcomed the sentence being handed down during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
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