Paedophile hunters and online grooming

The request was partially successful.

Dear Bedfordshire Police,

1a. Please provide the number of arrests you made in 2019/20 regarding online sexual offences of any kind related to children.

1b. Please provide a breakdown of all the sexual offences associated with these arrests:

e.g. section 8 of SOA 2003 [insert number]; section 10 of SOA 2003 [insert number]; section 12 of SOA 2003 [insert number] section 14 of SOA 2003 [insert number]; and section 15 of SOA [insert number]; section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 [insert number].

1c. Please specify the number of these arrests that involved at least one child decoy. By 'child decoy' I am referring to an adult who pretends to be a child.

2. Please provide the number of arrests you made in 2019/20 in connection with online sexual offences against children based on evidence acquired by your own officers acting as decoys.

3. Please provide the number of arrests you made in 2019/20 in connection with online sexual offences against children based on evidence provided to you by so-called paedophile hunters.

4. Please provide the names of all so-called paedophile hunting groups who provided information to you that led to the arrest of individuals in connection with sexual offences against children in 2019/20.

Yours faithfully,

D Moore

D. Moore left an annotation ()

Jon Purshouse (School of Law, University of East Anglia) has written a paper that seriously questions the activities of so-called paedophile hunters. It is titled: "'Paedophile Hunters’, Criminal Procedure, and Fundamental Human Rights"

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf...

"The muted response of the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and domestic courts to paedophile hunters is failing to deter their criminality. The article ends with suggestions for reappraisal of existing legal doctrines, law reform, and more rigorous enforcement to control and, in some cases, deter paedophile hunting."

J Roberts left an annotation ()

I see the article by Joe Purshouse was first published on 17th June 2020, a month before the Supreme Court handed down judgment in the case of someone caught by 'paedophile hunters' :

[2020] UKSC 32

http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2020...

See comment dated 15 July 2020:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...

Story from The Independent:

"‘Paedophile hunters’ do not violate right to privacy, Supreme Court rules as convict's appeal dismissed"

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/cr...

Bedfordshire man questioned by investigators (Innocent Voices Team):

https://www.bitchute.com/video/4WwzXujxK...

Another one questioned (UK justice 4 The Kids):

https://www.bitchute.com/video/MMO6aRlSG...

More videos can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...

D. Moore left an annotation ()

"'Paedophile hunter' evidence used to charge 150 suspects" (2017)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-43...

"Strategic review of Police Scotland’s response to online child sexual abuse" (February 2020)

“Almost half of the online grooming cases emanate from the activities of online child abuse activist groups (vigilante groups), who are unregulated and untrained. A more robust proactive capability on the part of Police Scotland would reduce the opportunities for these groups to operate.” (page 5)

https://www.hmics.scot/sites/default/fil...

BBC Radio 4 programme The Untold goes on a "sting" with Leeds-based hunting group Predator Exposure:

"Six of the group went on trial accused of charges including false imprisonment and common assault. They were all found not guilty and emerged from Leeds Crown Court vowing to step up the work that they do."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hv9p

See the group in action:

https://youtu.be/_gfRmagvltk

Useful information provided by South Yorkshire Police from the Force Disclosure Log:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...

J Roberts left an annotation ()

Radio 4's File on 4 dealt with the issue of female sex offenders in "Women Who Abuse":

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rcq5

The programme highlighted the case of a female groomer who was jailed in 2018. Details of her crime are available on the UK Database:

https://uk-database.net/2018/03/22/debor...

Thirty-six police forces responded to FOI requests (5th minute). The responses revealed that between 2015-19:

- there were over 10,400 reports of women sexually abusing children

- Over 5,400 reports concerned children aged 11-17

- around 3,800 reports involved children under 11

(some forces didn't provide information on ages)

A FOI request was also sent to the Disclosure and Barring Service. I have requested a copy of the response received:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/f...

"There is evidence more female abusers are being flagged when applying for jobs with children or vulnerable adults than are being reported to the police."

The programme also referred to research by Dr Andrea Darling, who wrote this article on female teachers who abuse pupils:

https://theconversation.com/understandin...

J Roberts left an annotation ()

CPS legal guidance regarding paedophile hunters (July 2020). Paedophile hunting groups are referred to formally as online child abuse activist groups (OCAGs):

'The term OCAGs in this context refers to individuals or groups of individuals who are members of the public using on-line activity to uncover or "catch" alleged paedophiles involved in on-line child sexual abuse or interested in meeting children for the purpose of such abuse. A wide range activity may fall under this umbrella term...'

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/on...

'Police are encouraged to seek early investigative advice (EIA) in all OCAG cases using the EIA process available in each CPS area. This will assist officers to address any complex evidential issues, to focus their investigation and to bring to an early conclusion cases which are unlikely to meet the required evidential standard.'

Recently published Home Office report titled 'Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy'.

'This ground-breaking Strategy sets out the Government’s ambition to prevent, tackle and respond to all forms of child sexual abuse.

5. Our goal is to ensure there are no safe spaces online for offenders to abuse and exploit children. Across the NCA, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), National Cyber Force (NCF) and wider law enforcement, the Home Office will invest in the development of new technological capabilities to bring more technically sophisticated offenders to justice and help our partners identify and safeguard more victims and survivors. This includes enhancing the use of the UK’s world-leading Child Abuse Image Database (CAID).'

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...

no-reply@bch.ecase.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of FOI Team, Bedfordshire Police

1 Attachment

Dear D Moore,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 4th
January.

Yours sincerely,
Gary Maxey

Dear Bedfordshire Police,

FOI2021/00018

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Bedfordshire Police's handling of my FOI request 'Paedophile hunters and online grooming'.

Thank you for the valuable information that you provided. I wish, however, that you review your response to my fourth request:

'4. Please provide the names of all so-called paedophile hunting groups who provided information to you that led to the arrest of individuals in connection with sexual offences against children in 2019/20.'

You engaged section 40 FOIA.

I consider that the information requested is not personal data because it refers to the name of a group and not an individual. Even if the information constituted personal data, it is not of a nature which goes to the essence of anyone's personality or private life. Additionally, it is not evident from your response that you asked any group caught by my request whether they would object to their name being disclosed. If a group agreed to disclosure, then i do not see how section 40 could be engaged. Time and again paedophile hunting groups when conducting 'stings' stress the importance of sharing their videos, so that more people can see the faces of suspects and consequently more children can be protected. Publicity is the very thing that they want. For example, here are three examples of the groups in action in your area:

Bedfordshire - UK Justice/4 The Kids

https://www.bitchute.com/video/MMO6aRlSG...

Luton - STOP

https://www.bitchute.com/video/OERoU66c7...

Luton - Broken Dreams

https://www.bitchute.com/video/KwgIII0n8...

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...

Yours faithfully,

D. Moore

no-reply@bch.ecase.gsi.gov.uk on behalf of FOI Team, Bedfordshire Police

1 Attachment

Dear D Moore,

I am writing in response to your request for information, received 8th
February.

Yours sincerely,
Gary Maxey

D. Moore left an annotation ()

ICO contacted.

D. Moore left an annotation ()

'Thank you for your correspondence of 6 March 2021 in which you made a complaint and provided supporting information about the above public authority’s handling of your request for information.

Your complaint has been accepted as eligible for further consideration and will be allocated to a case officer as soon as possible... Currently the waiting time is approximately four months before being allocated to a case officer....'

D. Moore left an annotation ()

Useful information:

Home Office counting rules - sexual offences (effective from April 2021)

'Sexual grooming

General Rule: One crime for each child.

Examples

1: A 60 year old male posted photographs of his teenage son on internet chat rooms and posed as his son. Following frequent internet chats with two 13 year old girls he encouraged them to travel to a London Station to meet him for sex.
Two crimes (class 88/1-88A).

2: A sports coach arranges for his 14 year old star pupil to meet up for a winter training week in Spain with him. He is arrested at Heathrow in possession of condoms and lubricants which he admits were for a sexual use on his star pupil.

One crime (class 88/1 –88A

'Principal Crime Example: see General Rules Section F and Annex C.

If a person has sexual activity with a child following grooming, record the substantive sexual offence only. A 40 year old male posted photographs of his teenage son on internet chat rooms and posed as his son. Following frequent internet chats with two 13 year old girls he encouraged them to travel to a London Station to meet him for sex. He has sexual intercourse with one of them and is arrested meeting the other girl.

One crime (class22/12 -22B) and one crime (class 88/1 -88A).'

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...

BBC News (13/5/21)

'The body overseeing criminal sentences in England and Wales is proposing treating paedophiles who are caught in stings the same as abusers who harm real children.'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57095465

Impact Assessment, The Home Office
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

Sex offender management (g/h pages 6-7/16-19/24-25/31-34/49-59/75-76/80)

Information on polygraphs (49)

'Government intervention is necessary to address this gap in criminal law and ensure that those that arrange or facilitate child sex offences targeting children under the age of 13 are sentenced considering the additional vulnerability of the intended victims.'

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bi...

J Roberts left an annotation ()

You may be interested in this request about sexting and the Outcome 21:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/r...

Information on the Outcome 21:

https://www.slaterheelis.co.uk/crime/pri...

J Roberts left an annotation ()

You may be interested in this:

'National Police Chiefs’ Council Responding to Online Child Abuse Activists

2.2 Analysis of incidents of activism has revealed a mixed picture. Some activist groups have amended their mode of operation such that they pass packages of information to the police without having real world contact with the person suspected of offending behaviour. Whilst this is a positive development many groups continue to insist on carrying out a physical intervention and only notify the police post or concurrent to the event. This is less desirable for reasons that have been previously articulated. There is an increased prevalence of direct criminality where purported activists have no intention to notify the police but use the opportunity of an encounter to extort or rob.

2.3 The complex, nuanced and often overlapping nature of activism and volunteering make it difficult to be prescriptive as to the approach to be taken. It is not legally practicable for policing to develop memoranda of understanding or protocol of operation with activists without risking claims of abuse of process. Where the state is seen to circumvent statutory regulation by sub-contracting work to public volunteers it is highly likely that criminal prosecution will be stayed.'

https://www.npcc.police.uk/2019%20FOI/NP...

D. Moore left an annotation ()

"I have written to Bedfordshire Police and asked it to revisit your request. It may wish to reverse or amend its position. If it does, it will contact you again directly about this."

D. Moore left an annotation ()

I have received a 'preliminary letter' from the ICO which includes:

'Given the particular circumstances of these cases and her limited resources, the Commissioner considers that issuing six decision notices would serve no useful purpose and the chance of further information being disclosed is negligible.

Regardless of whether a police force has cited an incorrect exemption, at best a decision notice, would order a fresh response without reliance on that incorrectly cited exemption. She therefore proposes to conclude these complaints and close the cases.

Should you wish to challenge the Commissioner’s position at the First Tier Tribunal (Information Rights) then she will issue a Decision Notice.'

I have given reasons why I disagree and have requested a Decision Notice. The Decision Notice may persuade me not to appeal.

D. Moore left an annotation ()

Bedfordshire Police sent its response to me to the ICO:

'17th November 2021

Our Ref: ICO2021/06669

By email only to: request-715288-08f8ab93[at]whatdotheyknow.com

Dear D Moore,

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 Ref No’s: FOI2021 00018, Internal Review Reference IR2021 00808 and subsequent complaint made to the ICO their reference ICO ref: IC-92702-B5N2 our reference ICO2021/06669.

I write in connection with the complaint you have asked the Information Commissioner’s Office to investigate relating to your original FOI request 2021 00018 and further Internal Review 2021 00808.

I confirm that I have reviewed our handling of these requests and after consultation with the ICO, I have revised our previous stance on this matter.

Therefore, I can advise that I am able to provide an answer to your original question 4 with the following information.

There has been one instance where we have a recorded group name - this being SKO.

Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience you may have been caused by this and hope this now resolves your request.'

D. Moore left an annotation ()

According to one website, the number of "Live Stings" carried out last year by paedophile hunter teams was around 1,000. The number of "Active Teams" in the UK is put at 70:

https://nonce.tv/

(many more teams are named)

D. Moore left an annotation ()

The Independent

"Citing data from 40 UK police forces, the NSPCC said that 6,350 offences related to sexual communication with a child were recorded last year – a rise of 82% since the offence was introduced in 2017/18."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bi...