In one year, specialist undercover police officers made a total of 1,665 arrests after utilizing covert methods to target child abusers online. This initiative resulted in the safeguarding of 1,397 children across England and Wales between October 2022 and September 2023, revealing a troubling number of child protection problems.
The offenses uncovered during these operations included abusers sharing or viewing indecent images of children online, encouraging children to send indecent images, and grooming children while arranging to meet them in person for the purpose of sexual abuse. This revelation highlights the urgent need for efforts to address these horrific crimes and the priority placed on tackling this distressing situation.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Undercover Online, Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Simpson, emphasized that the fight against child sexual abuse would not end anytime soon. The officers worked diligently to keep children safe and ensure that offenders were pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Minister for security Tom Tugendhat also expressed concern about the alarming scale of child abuse committed online, highlighting the importance of the Police’s Undercover Online Network’s role in delivering swift justice to predators and protecting vulnerable children. The commitment to ensuring that offenders are found and punished for their crimes remains strong and relentless.
Undercover Online was created in 2017 to target predators who use online platforms, including the dark web, to abuse and groom children. It receives funding from the Home Office and collaborates closely with the National Crime Agency. Despite the challenges posed by rapidly evolving technology, the NPCC’s vigilance and expertise allow it to continue its crucial work of safeguarding children and pursuing perpetrators.