Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre - internet safety - CEOP

[Philsl]

Press releases

Friday 16 November 2007

Most Wanted website one year on:
Nine UK child sex offenders located in first year
Age progression treatment used for first time on UK child sex offenders
New offender posted on website
Nine of the UK’s highest risk child sex offenders have been located in the last 12 months as a direct result of the ‘Most Wanted’ website, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre said today. They had been missing for a combined total of over 20 years.

And for the first time in the UK, the images of child sex offenders who have been missing for a number of years have been ‘age progressed’ by the leading UK charity for missing people to ensure that members of the public - and especially those working with children – have the very latest information on how these convicted offenders may look now.

From today, the Most Wanted website – www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted will display age-progressed pictures of Joshua Karney and Peter Weatherley. The process was carried out on behalf of the CEOP Centre by the charity Missing People (formerly the National Missing Person’s Helpline).

A new target - the site’s 14th – has been added today.

35 year old Stephen Clare is wanted by Northumbria Police for failure to fulfil his requirement to register on the Sex Offenders Register in 2002 and his current whereabouts are unknown. He has been known to work as a photographer and has undertaken qualifications to teach English as a foreign language and has possibly travelled overseas.

November 2006 saw the introduction of an unprecedented step in tackling child sex abuse when ‘Most Wanted’ became the UK’s first ever law enforcement website to publish details of convicted offenders. CEOP Chief Executive Jim Gamble said:

Last year we asked members of the public everywhere to work with us. Register on this site, have a look at these offenders and together let’s locate them and bring them back to justice. Thanks to their efforts and that partnership, nine offenders now know the true power of this new approach; nine offenders now know that they cannot escape the consequences of their crime because our view is simple – if you are an offender who thinks you can escape your registration requirements then think again. Go missing and you potentially forgo your right to anonymity - and there is a very good chance that you could become our 15th offender to see their details posted on the site.

So to everyone out there who has come forward with information, we thank you. To anyone out there working with children in whatever capacity we say get on board and register for updates from the site. And together let’s continue our search.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:

I am committed to protecting children against sexual predators and I am pleased that so much has been achieved to this end in the past year.

Through the ‘Most Wanted’ website CEOP has set the standard for keeping children safe from sexual abuse. This and other initiatives like the ‘thinkuknow’ educational campaign demonstrate the UK is leading the way in ensuring that every child is living their lives free from fear, and every offender is found and punished.
Anyone with any information on any of the offenders posted should contact their local police station or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Further information and photographs can been found at

www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted


The more people know these evil animals are out there the quicker they will
be caught.
Remeber the last sick bastard that had his ugly mug put on the internet was
soon caught.