TWO sick paedophiles condemned by a judge as "evil beyond rational understanding" have had bids to clear their names thrown out by top judges.

John Denham, 50 from Wiltshire and Mathew Stansfield, 35, were connected to a gang which raped and abused babies, toddlers and children under five.

The gang, which was described as having “tentacles that go round the world”, streamed attacks on the internet for other paedophiles to watch, which were seen on every continent.

Denham and Stansfield, who were described as "monsters in disguise", were convicted by a jury at Bristol Crown Court in April last year.

Married Denham was acquitted of plotting child rape but found guilty of conspiracy to sexually assault a child under 13.

Stansfield, of St George's Walk, Gosport, Hants, was convicted of two charges of conspiracy to rape a child under 13.

Denham received an eight-year jail term and Stansfield was locked up for 10 years.

They were both also ordered to serve an extra four years on licence following their release after a judge condemned them as dangerous.

Five other gang members had earlier pleaded guilty to child sex offences.

Lawyers for Denham and Stansfield argued at London's Appeal Court that their convictions were "unsafe" and ought to be overturned.

Their lawyers said jurors may have been prejudiced against them after being told of the other men's guilty pleas.

And Stansfield's legal team claimed the prosecution case against him on the rape charges was so weak they should have been thrown out by the trial judge.

But, dismissing their appeals Lord Justice Simon, sitting with Mr Justice Hickinbottom and Judge Martyn Zeidman, ruled there was nothing unfair about their trials.

Allowing jurors to hear of the other men's admissions did not shut off lines of defence that may have been open to the pair, he said.

Stansfield insisted that he was not involved in plotting attacks on one particular child and thought it was all just "fantasy."

But Lord Justice Simon said it was open to jurors to conclude that Stansfield had an intention to rape when he joined up with other members of the sick ring.

An appeal by Denham against his sentence was also rejected.