A HAMPSHIRE man is among a gang of paedophiles accused of conspiring to rape a baby and a school child and stream the attacks live on the Internet.

Matthew Stansfield, 34, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to rape a child under 13 and one alternative charge of conspiracy to sexually assault a child under the age of 13.

He has pleaded guilty to offences related to images of child abuse.

Bristol Crown Court heard how members of the gang would travel long distances to carry out the attacks or would use hi-tech software designed for video conferences if only one of them had access to a child.

As well as Stansfield, 49-year-old John Denham, formerly known as Benjamin Harrop from Wiltshire, is also on trial.

Prosecutor Robert Davies told the jury that five others have already admitted a range of offences, including rape of a child and conspiracy to rape a child during 2013 and 2014.

Mr Davies said that the evidence against Stansfield and Denham centred on videos, photographs and chat logs recovered from computers and mobile phones.

“The evidence of what occurred at different times comes from various sources and despite the efforts of many of those involved to destroy evidence before they were arrested, such as wiping hard drives clean,” he said.

He said that both Stansfield and Denham admitted taking part in conversations on Skype.

“They accept their involvement in the Skype chat but essentially say it was just fantasy and nothing more and the prosecution say that was plainly untrue,” he said.

In one incident in February last year Stansfield allegedly drove from his home in Hampshire more than 100 miles to where another gang member lived because he had a “thin window of opportunity” to spend time with a baby.

“This was an opportunity that was too good to miss,” Mr Davies said.

Robin Hollyson, 30; Christopher Knight, 35; Adam Toms, 33; David Harsley, 51, and Matthew Lisk, 32, have all admitted a number of offences, including rape of a child and conspiracy to rape a child.

Proceeding.