Worthing on-line paedophile jailed
Worthing on-line paedophile jailed
26 August 2010
A Worthing man who co-ordinated an international network of
paedophiles by using the social networking site Facebook to share
child sexual abuse images has today (26 August) been jailed for
four years.
Ian Green, 45, a registered sex offender who lived in rented
accommodation in Littlehampton Road, Worthing, pleaded guilty at
Chichester Crown Court to possession (one count), making (six
counts), distributing (seven counts) and view to distributing (10
counts) child abuse images. He also pleaded guilty to breaching his
requirements on the Sex Offenders Register.
The paedophile network was smashed in an international operation
led in the UK by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection
(CEOP) Centre and Sussex Police, in partnership with police in
Australia, Canada and the USA.
CEOP investigators infiltrated the network and discovered that
unemployed Green was enabling carefully selected contacts to access
up to three private Facebook groups. At the point at which contacts
were able to demonstrate their trustworthiness to Green - usually
through adding their own child abuse images - he would facilitate
access to the next group. Each group contained more extreme images
and films of child sexual abuse. Green used a multitude of false
Facebook profiles, group accounts and email addresses to download
and distribute vile images which were shared on his homepage
('wall') and in his mailbox.
Green was arrested by officers from Sussex Police's Paedophile On
Line Investigation Team (POLIT)who then launched an investigation
to gather evidence of his offences.
DC Martin Harmer from Sussex's Police's POLIT said: "As a result
of information given to us by CEOP, Green was arrested by Sussex
officers and we then set about gathering evidence in relation to
his crimes. This was a particularly disturbing case - Green
cleverly set up private Facebook accounts containing images of
child abuse and then gave access to other paedophiles.
"Every child depicted in images such as these is a victim. We'll
continue to work tirelessly with other organisations such as CEOP
to ensure that we identify those who perpetuate these vile crimes,
and ensure they get the justice they deserve."
Detective Inspector Ali Eaton, who heads the POLIT, added: "This
is another successful investigation and conviction for our Sussex
POLIT, a small dedicated team of detectives based in Brighton. We
work closely with CEOP and other forces across the country to
identify and prosecute these offenders. This is a growing area of
offending but our expertise is increasing.
"With the nature of this type of investigation there are suspects
from across the world, as this case demonstrates. I hope this
sentence sends a robust message out that possessing, making and
distributing child abuse images on line will not be
tolerated.
"We must never forget the child victims that are abused for the
gratification of these paedophiles through the viewing and sharing
of the indecent images. Green's sentence is a reminder to us all
why our work and liaison is so important."
Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online
Protection (CEOP) Centre, said: "This network was made up of people
who share an interest in viewing extremely disturbing images of
children suffering horrific abuse. All the officers working on this
investigation - both in the UK and in Australia, America, Canada
and elsewhere - shared a unwavering determination to safeguard
children affected by this network and to bring those involved to
justice. Offenders are not limited by their geography and neither
are we. Operation Ocean should send a clear message to others who
think that online environments offer them anonymity in their
offending. Everything you do leaves a digital footprint."