Police arrest 40 suspected paedophiles

Date published: 17 July 2014


MORE than 40 suspected paedophiles have been arrested across Greater Manchester as part of a six-month national operation targeting people accessing child abuse images online.

In total, 660 have been arrested nationally including doctors, teachers, scout leaders, care workers and former police officers.

Around 400 vulnerable children have been safeguarded as part of Operation Notorise, operated by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

Detective Superintendent Jon Chadwick said 10 children have been protected as a result of the operation and shows how seriously GMP take these offences.

He added: “This operation highlights the seriousness with which we take people viewing or downloading indecent images of children.

“This is not a victimless crime. People who download or possess these images are creating a market for child abusers to sell such grotesque images so anyone who views such images is propagating that abuse.”

Of those arrested nationally, 39 were registered sex offenders. A total of 833 buildings were searched and 9,172 digital devices seized.

Det Sup Chadwick added: “Offenders need to understand that the internet is not a safe or anonymous place for viewing indecent images.

“These offenders leave a digital footprint and we will use this to find these people.”