2022/24985 - paedophile hunter groups

REQUEST

I am studying whether police being pro-active towards the activities of paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups) can work towards more efficient safeguarding and produce better evidence.  I am making a freedom of information request for the following questions please.  The questions are listed in the order of importance and if there is insufficient time in the allotted time, please can the order be followed. 

 

Breaking the figures into each year for the following years 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, please answer the below questions.  Please also include a keyword search for 'paedophile hunter group' to try and establish how many can be directly attributed to the groups.  If such a search is not possible, please advise in the response.  (i.e.  year 2021- crimes 47, positive outcomes 12, keyword search 14.) 

 

How many crimes have been recorded for the following offences and if records allow, how many have led to a positive conclusion such as charge, community resolution or charge?  If there has been any change in your crime recording which may impact the figures, please provide details and dates. 

 

Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence contrary to section 14 of the 2003 Act (Grooming). 

Offence contrary to section 15A of the 2003 Act namely, sexual communication with a child. 

Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity contrary to sections 8 or 10 of the 2003 Act (or attempting to do so). 

Indecent images of children (IIOC) offences, possess or distribute. 

 

What is your constabularies policy when dealing with potential paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups)?  What guidance is provided to attending officers of 'stings'? 

 

Has your constabulary conducted any pro-active work with any paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups)?  Such as provide training on statements, legal guidelines etc? 

 

Have you mapped paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups) in the area you police?  Do you know how many there are? 

 

Would your force lead be interested in exploring working with paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups) in an effort to manage the risk presented to the target, manage the safeguarding risks resultant from the activities and increase the quality of evidence with an aim to achieving an increase in prosecutions and reducing investigation time? 

 

RESPONSE

How many crimes have been recorded for the following offences and if records allow, how many have led to a positive conclusion such as charge, community resolution or charge?  If there has been any change in your crime recording which may impact the figures, please provide details and dates. 

 

Please Note –

 

• Crime data is only available from 2017 onwards. The date is based on the recorded date.

 

• A key word search can be done - but only on the summary of the occurrence. This does mean the phrase “paedophile hunter group” needs to be in the summary which may not always be the case, even if a paedophile hunter group was involved. A key word search of the whole data log cannot be carried out. The key word search is also restricted to that specific phrase.

Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence contrary to section 14 of the 2003 Act (Grooming). 

 

For the offence title:

• ARRANGING OR FACILITATING THE COMMISSION OF A CHILD SEX OFFENCE.

 

Total number of recorded offences and the outcome that was applied to that offence

 

Of the 12 offences none of the summaries contained the phrase “paedophile hunter group”. 

 

Offence contrary to section 15A of the 2003 Act namely, sexual communication with a child. 

 

For the offence title

• ENGAGE IN SEXUAL COMMUNICATION WITH A CHILD

 

Total number of recorded offences and the outcome that was applied to that offence

Of the 163 offences only 1 of the summaries contained the phrase “paedophile hunter group”.  This offence was from 2017.

 

 

Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity contrary to sections 8 or 10 of the 2003 Act (or attempting to do so). 

 

For the offence titles:

• CAUSINGOR/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF 18 OR OVER, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF 18 OR OVER, PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF UNDER 18, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 14 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER 18 OR OVER, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER UNDER 18
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER UNDER 18; NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF UNDER 18
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER UNDER 18
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF 18 OR OVER, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF UNDER 18
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER UNDER 18
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF UNDER 18, NO PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFFENDER 18 OR OVER, PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A FEMALE CHILD UNDER 13 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF 18 OR OVER, PENETRATION
• CAUSING/INCITING A MALE CHILD UNDER 16 TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OFF 18 OR OVER, PENETRATION

 

 

Total number of recorded offences and the outcome that was applied to that offence

 

 

 

Of the 666 offences 11 of the summaries contained the phrase “paedophile hunter group”.  1 from 2017, 3 from 2018, 3 from 2019 and 4 from 2020.

 

Indecent images of children (IIOC) offences, possess or distribute. 

 

For the offence titles

• POSSESSION OF AN INDECENT OR PSEUDO-PHOTOGRAPH OF A CHILD
• TAKE/MAKE INDECENT PHOTOGRAPHS/PSEUDO-PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHILDREN

 

Total number of recorded offences and the outcome that was applied to that offence

 

Of the 1629 offences none of the summaries contained the phrase “paedophile hunter group”. 

 

 

What is your constabularies policy when dealing with potential paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups)?  What guidance is provided to attending officers of 'stings'? 

Gwent Police does not have a policy on the subject requested.

 

Has your constabulary conducted any pro-active work with any paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups)?  Such as provide training on statements, legal guidelines etc? 

Nothing is taught in relation to this specifically in the initial training period.

 

 

Have you mapped paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups) in the area you police? Do you know how many there are?

 

No, they are not mapped and the total number we are not aware of.

 

Would your force lead be interested in exploring working with paedophile hunter groups (Online Child Abuse Activist Groups) in an effort to manage the risk presented to the target, manage the safeguarding risks resultant from the activities and increase the quality of evidence with an aim to achieving an increase in prosecutions and reducing investigation time?

 

We react to the investigations conducted by OCAAG’s and deal with those issues in relation to that one case.  As far as working with them we do nothing more than that.  At this time, we would not be advocating working with them.