Unemployed Robert Mayers, 42, who lived in Brighton Street, was given an indeterminate prison sentence with an eight-year tariff after becoming one of the first people to be convicted of such a serious offence from online exchanges alone.
He only met co-conspirators David Beavan, 42, of Hampshire, and Alan Hedgcock, 41, of Twickenham, after they were arrested.
London's Southwark Crown Court was told the fact they had never met did not prevent the trio "drooling" over the possibility of turning sick fantasies into chilling reality.
They even referred to doing a "Holly and Jess" - a harrowing reference to the Soham 10-year-olds brutally murdered by Ian Huntley in 2002.
Police first heard of their twisted plan when "rape obsessed" Beavan got cold feet, walked into Bournemouth Police Station and told them what had been going on.
The greeting card salesman claimed he was just a "vigilante" gathering evidence against paedophiles but he was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to rape. Film make-up artist Hedgcock was convicted of conspiracy to rape at an earlier hearing.
Mayers had also denied any wrongdoing but was similarly convicted.
Beavan was given an indeterminate prison sentence with an 11-year tariff. Hedgcock unsuccessfully argued he was simply the victim of an overactive imagination.
He, too, was given a similar sentence but with an eight year tariff after being found guilty of one of the charges. In addition, all three men variously admitted 50 sample counts of distributing, making and possessing thousands of indecent images of children. Tweet
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no doubt they will get a suspended sentance while some old time war hero will be sent down for 2yrs because he has trouble paying his concil tax
thank god the police got this one right. had they had not the consequences could have been fatal . someone would have then turned up and recieved a lot of adulation and money out of saying how disgusting it all was.
I've got issues with this, jailed for talking about something. The internet is full of fantasists, chatrooms full of people talking about all sorts, actions that are never carried out, just sad pathetic individuals living in a dream world. I'm sure i've said over msn that i'd like to kill my boss .. should i be arrested for it .The thought police are here ... dont think out loud.
Lock them up and throw away the keys. I hope they get what they deserve when they get to jail.
I agree with Ron , the jails are full so they will probably let them go , and if they are in jail they will probably be released by mistake! No wonder Britain has the 2nd highest crime rate in Europe
yes these men will be put in jail say about 2 years maybe more but you poeple have to remember one thing... prisons full so they will walk free probably and even if they do get put inside they get let out early for good behavier so the judge will think theres no point. rapist and paedophile get away with everything. thats what i think.