The investigation

Operation Ore began last year after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service uncovered a hard- core child pornography website for paedophiles being operated by a couple from Texas.

Investigators found details of 75,000 subscribers around the world and passed on 7,272 credit card references to British police.

So far this has resulted in 1,300 arrests. They include a judge, magistrates, dentists, two hospital consultants, a senior classics master at a public school and a former deputy headmaster.

In addition, 50 police officers have been arrested of whom eight have been charged with a variety of child sex offences.