Paedophile who abused six children was caught after sick photo he posted onto the ‘dark web’ showed his knuckles

Darren Welsby, 48, was jailed for 23 years after a jury convicted him of 18 offences involving the sexual abuse of children, including the rape of a girl under 13. Investigators identified him through images he posted online, using forensic comparisons of the device and the hands shown in some pictures.

The investigation began in 2020 after child abuse images were found in an Interpol database. A search uncovered ten digital devices holding more than 30,000 indecent images, including material documenting Welsby’s offending; investigators said the abuse spanned eight years and involved children as young as six.