Child sexual abuse is increasing in severity, complexity and accessibility, say policing leads

 

The UK’s policing leads for child sexual abuse (CSA) are today warning that despite unprecedented levels of law enforcement action to tackle offending, advances in technology and the reliance on online platforms to communicate are significantly increasing the opportunities for offenders to engage with and sexually abuse children.

Developments in technology such as generative AI image creation tools and the continued rollout of end-to-end encryption, combined with the significant increase in reports into law enforcement of alleged online abuse, mean that the protection and safeguarding of children is now at a critical level.

The scale and prevalence of the CSA threat has increased in severity and complexity over the years. It can occur in any community and across all social backgrounds. It remains one of the most significant threats across the UK.

Statistically, potential offenders are in every community and victims in every school.

The threat has diversified too – we have seen offenders commissioning the livestream sexual abuse of children on demand for as little as £20. The financially motivated sexual extortion (FMSE) of primarily young boys is increasing. And the trend of online “communities” – known as Com networks – where members share and promote increasingly sadistic material – continues to cause significant harm.

But this is not simply offending that confines itself to the online environment. Not only is there a vulnerable child that has been exploited behind every image and every video, but there is increasing evidence that demonstrates the link between the viewing of CSA material and contact abuse.

Despite these challenges, law enforcement is more joined up than ever with officers making more arrests than ever before.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 20 million reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation (from tech companies) in 2024, with over 19 million reports relating to the making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

And this increase in reports to NCMEC has led to the NCA’s Child Sexual Exploitation Referrals Bureau (CSERB) receiving on average 1,700 reports a week of alleged child abuse on online platforms.

The NCA and policing partners are arresting an average of 1,000 potential offenders each month and safeguarded approximately 1,200 children.

During a single week in January, the NCA and forces across the UK arrested 252 people (118 were charged), safeguarded 407 children and 35 individuals were sentenced at court. This is not a one off – this level of action is taking place every week.

The NCA and policing colleagues have strengthened our response through enhanced intelligence sharing, specialist investigative support and improving national capabilities.

But arrests and operational activity are only one part of the solution.

Law enforcement, in partnership with government agencies and third sector victim support organisations are making significant strides in tackling CSAE, combining innovative technology, enhanced investigative capability, and a stronger focus on victim-centred practice.

Over the next 12 months, police forces will benefit from the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme’s Capabilities Environment—a secure platform already proven to speed up investigative processes and free up frontline resources to ensure policing is better equipped than ever to disrupt offenders and prevent harm.

Trauma‑informed practice is now firmly embedded across frontline and specialist teams, ensuring investigations minimise re‑traumatisation and build trust with victims. The NCA’s CEOP Education Programme offers this support and underpinned by intelligence from the NCA, research and direct engagement with children and young people.

And the creation of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) has further strengthened the national response by unifying expertise, evidence-based guidance and multi‑agency coordination.

Together, these developments are driving faster, higher-quality investigations, more consistent safeguarding, and a more supportive experience for victims and survivors—demonstrating the tangible and growing impact of policing in confronting CSAE.

But this is not enough. The NCA and Policing leads are urging strengthened use of the powers in the Online Safety Act (OSA) by Ofcom to hold companies to account if they are not compliant, as they have done recently with ‘X’. There should be support to enforce penalties for non-compliance. And the development of prevention initiatives to deter adults and young people who are at risk of sexually abusing a child should be prioritised, alongside funding for offender management to help deter offending before it happens.

And prevention initiatives to deter adults and young people who are at risk of sexually abusing a child must be developed and expanded. Funding for offender management should be increased to help deter offending before it happens.

Rob Jones, Director General Operations at the National Crime Agency said:

“Over the last five years, we have continually said that the use of technology is increasing the opportunities for child sex offenders, and the risk to children and young people. We have seen some improvements by tech companies, but it’s nowhere near what’s actually needed to protect children in this day and age.

“On a daily basis, officers at the NCA and across policing are assessing some of the most obscene child abuse imaginable. And this is not hidden in the dark web – it’s being shared on social media and is accessible on the clear web as well for anyone to see.

“The response to the continual CSA threat cannot be one for policing alone - a whole‑system approach is the only way to protect children effectively.  We all owe it to our children not to be a bystander – now is the time to really make a difference”

Temporary Chief Constable Becky Riggs, National Police Chiefs’ Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation said:

“Every child deserves to feel safe and protected, wherever they are – and that must include the online spaces where they learn, play and connect with others. Policing is relentless in pursuing those who seek to harm children, and we will continue to target offenders at national, regional and local levels. But enforcement alone will never be enough. We all have a responsibility to build a safer digital world for our young people.

“A vital part of that is education. Children and young people need to understand the risks they may encounter online, and they must be empowered to make safer choices. Just as importantly, the trusted adults around them – parents, carers, teachers, youth workers – need clear, accessible guidance so they can recognise the signs of harm, have open conversations, and know where to turn for help.

“At the same time, the tech sector has a crucial role to play. We need technology companies to act with urgency to make their platforms hostile environments for offenders. That means developing and implementing solutions that prevent children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images online, improving the detection of child sexual abuse material, and ensuring platforms are built safer by design.

“Child sexual abuse and exploitation is a societal threat, and it requires a societal response. Policing will continue to lead the fight against offenders, but education, prevention and partnership are just as essential. Together, we can create the safer spaces our children deserve."

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls said:

“The scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation in this country is horrific, whether online, at home, or within depraved criminal gangs, and this government is using every lever at our disposal to fight it.

“We are funding a network of undercover officers online and a dedicated police taskforce to disrupt crimes, catch offenders and protect children. In addition, the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs and Operation Beaconport will work hand in hand to get justice for survivors.

“Interventions as part of Operation Croft mean more children saved and more perpetrators off the streets.”

 

Note to editors

Research shows that children who experience sexual abuse are at least 3 times more likely to attempt suicide. Shockingly of those sexually abused as a child, more than half (58%) will experience domestic abuse as an adult, with a quarter experiencing rape or assault by penetration (including attempts), and it is the victims and survivors of these most abhorrent crimes who are at the centre of our commitment to disrupt and prevent.

In 2024, police forces recorded approximately 123,000 CSA offences, with indecent image of children (IIOC) offences becoming the most prevalent offence type, accounting for 29% of all CSA reported crime. And over the last two years, tech companies have consistently identified and reported significantly more CSA material - both AI and non-AI generated on their platforms.

Officers are seeing more severe images in the reports being received– with the Internet Watch Foundation reporting in 2023 that detections of Category A images (the most severe) have doubled since 2017.

 

 

Case studies

1.        A man who sent almost £56,000 to the Philippines to pay for livestreamed sexual abuse of children was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year. Patrick Howlett, 58, from Kent, was found to have been in regular contact with a woman who lived in the Philippines who had sexually abused her own children at his request and direction. She took photographs and videos of the abuse and sent them to Howlett in exchange for monetary payment. Howlett pleaded guilty early in his trial and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in July 2025 at Canterbury Crown Court. He will also be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The Judge described Howlett as showing “a breath-taking lack of regard for the sanctity of childhood".

2.      A man from London, who planned to travel overseas and rape children as young as six, has been jailed for life. Edward Gratwick, 68, from Mitcham, was arrested at Stansted Airport on 7 March 2025 as he attempted to board a flight to Bucharest, Romania. He was identified by officers from the National Crime Agency after an overseas law enforcement partner shared intelligence about a UK national, who had been contacting another individual to try to arrange a meeting to sexually abuse a nine-year old girl. In the online chat, the pair had also been planning to drug the girl with GHB so she would not remember anything. At Guildford Crown Court on 23 January 2026, Gratwick was jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 19 years behind bars.

3.      In October 2025, Robert Chown, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, given a lifetime Serious Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and lifetime Sex Offender Registration Notification (SORN). He pleaded guilty to 41 offences including making and distributing indecent images of children and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. Partnership work with the FBI and Europol was key to his successful prosecution.

4.      In September 2024, suspects Jonathan Leonard and Ann Bray from South Wales were arrested for sexual offences against children. They were both interviewed and subsequently charged and remanded with 32 offences including sexual penetration of a child, inciting sexual activity with a child, distribution and possession of indecent images of children (IIOC). The couple pleaded guilty and in May 2025, both were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to a total of 23 years each.

5.      Bradley Talbot, 29, from Portsmouth, was an active member of a Com group operating on Telegram. Com groups are online collectives of individuals who work together or compete to cause harm across a range of criminality, from cybercrime to child sexual abuse. Talbot's 6,000 strong group sought out and shared child sexual abuse material and Talbot was seen as a 'core member'. Talbot was charged with participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group, arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13 and distributing an indecent image of a child. He pleaded guilty in a hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on 29 April 2025 and in November, he was sentenced to seven years and six months’ imprisonment today (21 November) and will have a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

6.      A snapchat user engaged with a 15-year-old child and shared indecent media with the child. CSERB progressed this case and it was disseminated to a UK police force the same day it arrived (22/01/25). The force safeguarded the child and arrested the offender. Following subsequent enquiries an adult male was charged with rape of child (15 years), engaging in sexual communication with a child, penetrative sexual activity with a child (15 years) and taking an indecent photograph of a child

7.      CSERB received a report which contained sexualised conversations between two users (adult and child), with the suspect coercing the young person to sexually abuse another child under the threat of exposing their indecent imagery. An intelligence package was disseminated to a UK force the same day regarding the victim. Further investigation on the suspect identified a presence in two other force areas so additional referrals were disseminated. A 28-year old man was arrested and charged with 83 counts including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature causing sexual exploitation of a child to transmit an indecent image of themselves, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity with penetration and making & distributing indecent images of a child. In October 2025 the man was sentenced to 24 years in prison, an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and he will be on the Sex Offender’s Register for life. 71 children were safeguarded as part of the investigation.