Teenage girl 'in love' with brother helped him to rape children and took pictures of sexual abuse

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

A brother and sister who took pictures of each other molesting and raping children during a horrifying campaign of sexual abuse have been jailed for a total of 38 years.

Emily Thomson, 18, fell "in love" with her half-brother Matthew David Thatcher, 26, and helped him to prey on three young victims who cried "like they could not breathe" while they were subjected to repeated sex attacks in Wales.

The pair, from Neath, took hundreds of photographs as they abused the children and shared graphic messages with each other and Mandy Wright, 28.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Thomson was "blinded with her infatuation" of Thatcher and "did not view him as a relative", according to Wales Online.

The three child abusers were reported to police after Thatcher arranged to meet a woman posing as a 14-year-old on Facebook after exchanging sexual messages.

South Wales Police officers discovered a stash of hundreds of indecent images of children taken by the trio, including dozens involving the most serious category A abuse.

They admitted 36 counts involving the sexual abuse of three victims under 16 years old and were jailed at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

"The images and messages showed a careless disregard for the welfare of the children," said Judge Eleri Rees.

"[Thatcher] descended into the darkest of places.

"He discovered that he was capable of doing the most dreadful things.

"He was caught up in something that he found very difficult to get out of.

"It was a dreadful thing that was taking place."

Wales Online reported that doctors concluded that one of the victims had suffered "chronic sexual abuse" at Thatcher's hands.

He was jailed for 26 years for 15 counts, including the rape and sexual assault of children.

Thomson was jailed for 12 years for 16 counts including sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Wright, of Ely, Cardiff, was jailed for seven years for five counts including possessing images of child sex abuse.

All three were made subject to Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.

Following the sentences, South Wales Police DCI Karen Thomas said: "Today, Matthew Thatcher, Emily Thomson, and Mandy Wright have been given long and deserved sentences for what are abhorrent crimes which have had a devastating impact upon their victims.

"Absorbing the detail and the nature of the abuse committed by these individuals has been harrowing for even the most experienced professionals involved in the investigation.

"I would like to take this opportunity to publicly commend the bravery of the victims in this case – they have experienced things which nobody should have to endure."

DCI Thomas added that the sentencing will "in some way" help the victims "move forward with their lives".

She added: "This case really is proof that reporting suspicions and concerns to the police, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, or to organisations such as the NSPCC can help to put an immediate end to the suffering endured by our most vulnerable individuals, and ensure that those behind the abuse are put behind bars where they can no longer offend."