judges found that the unemployed couple had sexually assaulted the boy, now 10, numerous times and pimped him on the so-called darknet between May 2015 and August 2017.

They were convicted of rape, aggravated sexual assault of children, forced prostitution and distribution of child pornography, judge Stefan Buergelin said.

The couple was also ordered to pay a total of 42,500 euros ($49,200) in damages to the boy and another victim, a girl who was temporarily in their care.

Taha, 48, said through her lawyer that she would not appeal, in order to spare her son an even longer legal ordeal.

Vague' abuse suspicions dismissed

Their sentences fell short of what prosectors had demanded -- 14 years and six months for Taha and 13 years and six months for Lais.

Even experienced police officers dealingwith child abuse cases said the case was like nothing they had ever seen.

Local judicial and child services officials came in for massive criticism for having interviewed the mother after concerns about the boy's welfare arose months before the couple's arrest but failing to get his own account.

Key information about the case was not shared among authorities, and warnings from the boy's school about his wellbeing were dismissed by youth services as "vague".

On Monday, the same court sentenced a Spanish paedophile, Javier Gonzalez Diaz, to 10 years' prison for repeatedly sexually abusing the young boy after paying the parents.

The 33-year-old was also ordered to pay 18,000 euros to the young victim.

The case came to light following an anonymous tip-off last September, and led to the arrest of eight