Police have welcomed the jail sentences handed out to two paedophiles who were caught with child pornography.

More details of the worldwide police operation which led to the pair being snared were released over the weekend.

The men, including a 29-year-old from Bicester, Oxfordshire, were arrested on 20th March following an Interpol co-ordinated operation.

Codenamed Operation Artus, raids took place around the world following the identification of a paedophile network by Germany's national criminal police agency Bundeskriminalamt.

Eleven countries, including Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, took part.

The operation led to arrests of 12 people for sexual offences against children.

Graphic designer Ian Margetts, of Turnberry Close, Bicester, was sentenced to one year for producing indecent photos and three years for distribution, to run concurrently. Michael Hartrey, a 34 year old software engineer from Kingston-upon-Thames, was sentenced to one year for producing indecent photos and three years for distribution, to run concurrently. Both were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court last Friday.

Detective Superintendent Michael Deats, deputy head of the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit said: "I am pleased with the sentences passed. Operation Artus is the latest in a series of successful operations to combat child abuse online.

"What is important to remember is that every one of those pictures we have recovered represents a child that has been abused. We must not underestimate the seriousness of this crime."