This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/20/some-padeophiles-will-never-face-justice-admits-national-crime-agency-chief

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
‘Some paedophiles will never face justice’ – National Crime Agency chief ‘Some paedophiles will never face justice’ – National Crime Agency chief
(about 1 hour later)
Some suspected paedophiles with images of child abuse are likely to escape prosecution, according to Britain’s leading law-enforcement officer, who said that authorities had to rethink how to pursue suspects and how they could be prevented from perpetrating crimes. Some of the UK’s estimated 50,000 suspected paedophiles will escape prosecution, according to Britain’s leading law-enforcement officer, who said that authorities had to rethink how to pursue suspects and how they could be prevented from perpetrating crimes.
Keith Bristow, director general of the National Crime Agency (NCA), said it was uncomfortable to accept that some of the 50,000 people in the UK who regularly access indecent images of children will not end up facing justice. He said that law-enforcement agencies must instead focus on the highest-risk offenders, who at the top end were criminals who sexually abused children. This meant that the lower-risk suspects could fall through the net. Keith Bristow, director general of the National Crime Agency (NCA), said it was uncomfortable to accept that some of those in the UK who regularly access indecent images of children will not end up facing justice but admitted that the police were simply unable to pursue all of those engaged in such crimes. He said law-enforcement agencies must instead focus on the highest-risk offenders, who at the top end were criminals who sexually abused children. This meant that lower-risk suspects could fall through the net.
“I don’t think I can be more candid than, say, if there are 50,000 people involved in this particularly horrible type of criminality, I don’t believe that all 50,000 will end up in the criminal justice system being brought to justice,” said Bristow.“I don’t think I can be more candid than, say, if there are 50,000 people involved in this particularly horrible type of criminality, I don’t believe that all 50,000 will end up in the criminal justice system being brought to justice,” said Bristow.
“Our responsibility is to focus on the greatest risk and tackle those people. But the wider responsibility that falls to all of us is to stop people getting involved in this activity, to help young people protect themselves and to work hard to understand the totality of the problem so where we are arresting people and bringing them to justice that’s mitigating as much risk to young people as possible.”“Our responsibility is to focus on the greatest risk and tackle those people. But the wider responsibility that falls to all of us is to stop people getting involved in this activity, to help young people protect themselves and to work hard to understand the totality of the problem so where we are arresting people and bringing them to justice that’s mitigating as much risk to young people as possible.”
His remarks split opinion last night, with the Labour party claiming that it was clear that the NCA “was not fit” to deal with the scale and seriousness of the problem.His remarks split opinion last night, with the Labour party claiming that it was clear that the NCA “was not fit” to deal with the scale and seriousness of the problem.
“Now it’s clear the NCA have details on tens of thousands of people who have accessed vile images of child abuse,” said Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary. “Yet only 600 have been arrested and they are not even attempting to investigate the vast majority of cases. Of course they need to look first for the most dangerous cases, but it seems most cases aren’t being investigated at all.”“Now it’s clear the NCA have details on tens of thousands of people who have accessed vile images of child abuse,” said Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary. “Yet only 600 have been arrested and they are not even attempting to investigate the vast majority of cases. Of course they need to look first for the most dangerous cases, but it seems most cases aren’t being investigated at all.”
However, Jon Brown, of the children’s charity NSPCC, said Bristow had revealed “an uncomfortable truth” about the difficult daily decisions officers face in identifying and pursuing offenders.However, Jon Brown, of the children’s charity NSPCC, said Bristow had revealed “an uncomfortable truth” about the difficult daily decisions officers face in identifying and pursuing offenders.
“It’s true that the police can only do what they can with the budgets available to them,” he said. “The government must make tackling this vile trade a priority in the funding available to the NCA and at a local force level.”“It’s true that the police can only do what they can with the budgets available to them,” he said. “The government must make tackling this vile trade a priority in the funding available to the NCA and at a local force level.”
It has previously been estimated by the NCA that there were 50,000 people in the UK regularly accessing indecent images of children in 2013.It has previously been estimated by the NCA that there were 50,000 people in the UK regularly accessing indecent images of children in 2013.
Bristow also told reporters at a briefing: “The reality is everyone who accesses an indecent image of a child, the idea that every single one of them is going to go into the criminal justice process, is not realistic.Bristow also told reporters at a briefing: “The reality is everyone who accesses an indecent image of a child, the idea that every single one of them is going to go into the criminal justice process, is not realistic.
“As abhorrent as even the lower-risk part of this is, and it’s still abhorrent and it’s still horrible, particularly when seen alongside other things like acquisitive crime, we’re going to have to start thinking differently about not just how we pursue these people but how we prevent people perpetrating this particular form of horribleness.”“As abhorrent as even the lower-risk part of this is, and it’s still abhorrent and it’s still horrible, particularly when seen alongside other things like acquisitive crime, we’re going to have to start thinking differently about not just how we pursue these people but how we prevent people perpetrating this particular form of horribleness.”
He added: “What we can’t do is start at No 1 and work through to 50,000. What we have to do is apply a logic based on law-enforcement experience, and academic support, to work through and try and find the highest risk that sits within that and our contention is the highest risk are those people who go on or have the propensity to commit contact abuse, which is right at the high end.”He added: “What we can’t do is start at No 1 and work through to 50,000. What we have to do is apply a logic based on law-enforcement experience, and academic support, to work through and try and find the highest risk that sits within that and our contention is the highest risk are those people who go on or have the propensity to commit contact abuse, which is right at the high end.”
The Home Office said the government was determined to stamp out child sexual exploitation, adding that the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) had been brought into the NCA to ensure child abuse investigators have access to the agency’s extensive crime-fighting resources and global expertise.
According to the Home Office: “All NCA officers – approximately 4,500 people – have a legal duty to safeguard children and promote their welfare, and there are now more posts dedicated to tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse in the NCA than existed in the CEOP centre in 2010.
“The NCA is currently leading an unprecedented operation against online child abusers in the UK. In the last 12 months the NCA has safeguarded or protected more than 1,000 children and 706 arrests have been made by forces in the course of NCA-led and coordinated operational activity against CSE and abuse.”