By Internet sex offenders targeting local children
Officers for Humberside Police say they have safeguarded 32 local children who were targeted by and have become victims to internet sex offenders.
Since the intensification of Operation Galaxy, the team have arrested 22 people from across the Humber region on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.
The investigations into these cases are ongoing.
While seized equipment and evidence is assessed, the team are constructing cases to put to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Many of those arrested have already been released from custody.
The force has confirmed that they remain under investigation and future charges are hoped to be secured in many investigations.
A spokesperson for Humberside Police said:
“The care of victims is paramount and we continue to provide help and support to everyone who needs it.
“It’s an abhorrent crime which a specialist team of officers in Humberside Police’s Internet Sex Offenders Team (ISOT) work tirelessly to investigate with the ultimate aim of protecting victims, catching offenders and preventing further offences.”
In a statement released by the force, the team added:
“A huge amount of work goes on both before and after any suspect is arrested. By the time an arrest is made a vast amount of evidence and intelligence is gathered on those individuals.
“Bringing them into custody allows us to secure evidence such as seizing electronic items and question a suspect about the reasons for their arrest.
“Often those arrested are released pending further investigations and not charged immediately as a case has to be comprehensively built and pieced together to the point of submission to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) where charging decisions of suspects are then made.
“The investigations can be lengthy, so we make sure we have regular contact with suspects in order to ensure they are adhering to any bail conditions.”
