back to article More than 260 suspects charged in UK child abuse crackdown

Teachers, a retired magistrate, a doctor, and civil servants are among 264 suspected paedophiles charged as part of a major UK police operation targeting those accessing child abuse images online. Operation Notarise, which launched around a year ago, is the biggest UK inquiry into people allegedly sharing child abuse images …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Lots of low level offenders here. What about the high ranking Dolphin Square attendees who seem to be getting away it ?

    1. Little Mouse

      What's the alternative?

      But "ordinary" people make up 99%* of the population (let's say) - it's no surprise if you don't catch all that many of the self-styled elite when you cast your net.

      So do you let some of the low-level guys go even if you've got sufficient evidence to charge them? Do you commit more resources into investigating those in their ivory towers, taking resources away from the regular investigations? I hope not.

      1. Red Bren
        Unhappy

        Re: What's the alternative?

        "So do you let some of the low-level guys go even if you've got sufficient evidence to charge them?"

        In the case of Cyril Smith, and other high-ranking paedophiles, it was a case of letting them go despite sufficient evidence to arrest and charge. Resources were very much taken away from investigating those in ivory towers.

        The problem with being an "ordinary" person is you can't evade justice when you do something wrong. But if you're rich and/or powerful, you get a knighthood. Justice is something that happens to the little people.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What's the alternative?

        @ little mouse

        I've always been one to sneer at the David Icke type conspiracy theorists but in this case I think there more than a grain of truth that a ring (or historical ring) of very senior people were/are involved in unsavoury behaviour.

        I certainly don't think anyone should be allowed to evade justice on this matter and positions of power/money should not shield you.

        The question has to be asked do those in positions of wealth and power both fund and protect those lower down the order ?

        1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

          Re: What's the alternative?

          Conspiracy theories are nowt new. There is one that said that Jack the Ripper was the Prince of Wales.

          Some theories have a grain of truth. Many are blown out of all proportion just to sell Red Top Comics.

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      @ Mine's a Guinness

      As far as I can make out from the article this is current and from the reports on Dolphin Sq that seems to be historical. Different objectives, different enquiries. Trying to combine them wouldn't help.

      1. Alan Brown Silver badge

        Re: @ Mine's a Guinness

        "from the reports on Dolphin Sq that seems to be historical."

        Given that people who were investigating are being phoned up out of the blue and threatened with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act if they blab to the enquiries (and that some of the persons alleged to be involved are still at Westminster), that "historical" might not be as long ago as you think.

        1. Alan Brown Silver badge

          Re: @ Mine's a Guinness

          There's some interesting speculation surfacing that the OSA is being invoked "on national security grounds" because the rings were connected to:

          1: A royal close to the queen (unlikely to be one of her children as they're too young for the timelines)

          2: Security services in Northern Ireland

          3: Senior security staff (as in MI5/6) in the UK

          Some names are being bandied about on the net. I wonder how long this kettle of fish can continue to be sat on before it explodes.

          It's rather telling that parliament has voted not to exempt people from the OSA in order to allow them to give evidence to the enquiries, but I suspect the truth will surface eventually anyway.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What does this mean?

    They say they have protected 518 children.

    Does this mean that, since the arrest of one of their parents, 518 children are now in care homes that haven't yet been linked to peadophile celebrities?

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: What does this mean?

      "care homes that haven't yet been linked to paedophile celebrities"

      Celebrities are irrelevant, both in the specific context and generally. Google Kincora Boy's Home. There were no celebrities there as far as could be determined.

  3. Chris G

    Aftercare

    If the cops are going after and catching so many alleged paedophiles and rescuing large numbers of children, what is in place to deal with the trauma these kids will be facing of not only the abuse they have suffered but that of the probable/possible(depending on who the abuser is) break up of their families?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Aftercare

      You'll need to ask social services on that one. It would be the social who would attend under a CYP case to remove the child into care. Age depending they will probably go to foster carers or more likely for slightly older kids, a care home where they will be introduced to sex (again), drugs and criminality.

      You would cry your eyes out if you knew half of it.

  4. BobRocket

    One third of arrests result in charges seems ok to me, if two thirds of charges result in conviction then so much the better.

  5. phil dude
    Unhappy

    innocent until proven guilty...

    I would hope that the police have more than "images on hard drive", and a proper forensic browser history coupled with surveillance and other supporting evidence.

    With the leaky software and malign government agencies in play, one would hope that these alleged despicable acts are properly investigated, rather than used as political capital.

    Sad icon for such a sad subject.

    P.

  6. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Re. Innocent until proven guilty...

      Imagine how long any of us would last if we were expected to commit a crime?

      A lot of people wind up on the police register for singular stupid acts, misunderstandings &/or lazy policing.

      .

      The above is a narrow discussion on the ACs comment.

      I don't think we know enough of the facts to make a judgement of the accused people's guilt, nor should we until the courts are done. Last thing we need is mob/media justice.

      I hope the 500+ kids get a better life.

  7. Graham Marsden
    Thumb Down

    "the biggest UK inquiry into people allegedly sharing child abuse images...

    "...since Operation Ore back in 2002"

    And we all know just how well *that* turned out, don't we?

    How many people this time will be told "say you're guilty and you'll get a Caution so we can tick off another 'success' in our book or we'll drag you through the Courts and give your name to the media, so even when you're found Not Guilty your reputation and career will still be destroyed"?

    1. David Pollard

      Re: "the biggest UK inquiry into people allegedly sharing child abuse images..."

      Is it too cynical to wonder that these enquiries are being publicised partly to counter the leaks about cover-ups of sex crimes? Headlines of 'crackdown on child abuse' take attention away from the crimes committed by people in a position of power which are still not being fully investigated.

  8. This post has been deleted by its author

  9. Graham Marsden
    Thumb Up

    @David Pollard

    > Is it too cynical to wonder that these enquiries are being publicised partly to counter the leaks about cover-ups of sex crimes?

    I think the answer to that is a definite "No, it's definitely not too cynical".

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I had similar cynical thoughts that this comes at quite a good time for reminding everyone that state spying is 'for the children'.

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