He claimed he was blackmailed into paying for the image hosting site but provided no evidence to support this.
A North London paedophile ran foul websites sharing compromising images of kids. Matthew Slate, 36, of Wood Green, London, was a ‘Global Moderator’ on ‘Olympus’ – a pro-paedophile forum – as well as holding prominent positions across six more child abuse forums on the dark web.
He used these platforms to share material and have sexual chats about the abuse of children. Slate also financed and co-created a site which was designed as an image hosting tool, a medium for users to upload child porn.
When Slate’s house was searched in 2025 following a tip-off, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers seized three devices, including a computer which was logged into an online forum where the sexual abuse of children was being discussed. Another tab had a site used specifically to upload child sexual abuse material.
Further searches of the devices found almost 87,000 indecent images of children, with over 15,200 of those found to be Category A, the most severe.
In a prepared statement, he said he “never intentionally arranged or facilitated the sexual abuse of children”. He also claimed 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 a number of offences on February 19. He was sentenced to six years inside and a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order yesterday (Friday, May 8).
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.
“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.”
Stay in the loop with the latest North London news. Sign up to our MyNorthLondon newsletter HERE for daily updates and more.
