A North London man has been jailed for running 'depraved' child sex abuse websites from his flat. Matthew Slate, 36, of Wood Green, London, was a 'Global Moderator' on 'Olympus', a pro-paedophile forum, and held prominent positions across six other child abuse forums on the dark web.
Role in Child Abuse Forums
Slate used these platforms to share material and engage in sexual conversations about the abuse of children. He also financed and co-created a site designed as an image hosting tool, allowing users to upload child pornography.
Investigation and Arrest
When Slate's home was searched in 2025 following a tip-off, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers seized three devices, including a computer logged into an online forum where child sexual abuse was being discussed. Another tab showed a site used specifically to upload child sexual abuse material.
Further searches of the devices uncovered almost 87,000 indecent images of children, with over 15,200 classified as Category A, the most severe category.
Court Proceedings
In a prepared statement, Slate claimed he 'never intentionally arranged or facilitated the sexual abuse of children'. He also alleged he was blackmailed into paying for the image hosting site but provided no evidence to support this.
He appeared at Wood Green Crown Court and pleaded guilty to multiple offences on February 19. He was sentenced to six years in prison and issued a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order on Friday, May 8.
NCA Statement
Robert Lay, NCA Senior Investigation Officer, said: 'Slate's depravity led him to become an active member of multiple pro-paedophile forums across the dark web. He encouraged others to view, share and discuss vile crimes against children with no regard for the victims involved. He benefitted not just through his own sexual gratification but through earning kudos from other members of these sites.'
He added: 'The NCA is dedicated to bringing the perpetrators of child sexual abuse to justice and we will use the full force of our capabilities to uncover those operating in the shadows of the dark web.'
