'Most dangerous' child sex offender jailed for 22 years

A man who raped a girl in the UK and arranged the abuse of a girl in the Philippines, which was broadcast online, has been jailed for 22 years.

Paul Hopkins, 50, of Romsey, Hampshire, previously pleaded guilty to 25 sexual offences involving children.

Hopkins was handed a 30-year extended sentence at Bournemouth Crown Court, meaning he will spend 22 years in prison, with an additional eight years to be served on licence upon release.

Det Insp Dave Wells, from South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), said Hopkins was the most dangerous sex offender his team had investigated.

He said this was "not only due to the severity and number of crimes he has been convicted of, but the fact he offered advice to other offenders on how to avoid detection when accessing material and livestreaming abuse".

Hopkins, who was arrested in March 2025, was making plans to meet a young girl to sexually abuse, SWROCU said.

This led to the discovery of the livestreamed abuse of a nine-year-old girl in the Philippines, the police force added.

Officers went on to find evidence on Hopkins' devices of non-recent attacks on a girl in the UK.

The 11 offences against her included the rape of a child under 13, multiple attempted rapes, multiple sexual assaults, incitement to sexual activity, distributing indecent photos and three counts each of taking and possessing them.

Hopkins pleaded guilty to 14 offences against the Philippines girl, including arranging sexual exploitation, four counts of arranging sexual assaults, three of arranging child sex offences and three counts each of making and distributing indecent photos.

The girl's mother facilitated the abuse and was arrested, police said.

The National Crime Agency said the Philippines was a "key hub for this type of abuse, with the UK representing one of the top three consumers".