A crackdown, aimed at targeting people downloading, making and distributing indecent images of children online, has seen more than 40 properties raided by Essex Police in the last six months.

The force has also arrested more than 40 people and safeguarded 46 children who may be at risk of harm and secured multiple charges against a number of those arrested.

Over the last six months, using an intelligence-led approach, a dedicated team of specialist officers have targeted those involved in the downloading, distribution and making indecent images of children.

The team have worked alongside and in support of Essex Police’s existing specialist Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (CAIT). During the last six months, as part of the force’s normal response to these crimes, the POLIT team also took on 51 new investigations into those involved in the making and distribution of indecent imagery of children. In total the POLIT team have 157 live investigations.

Since November 2016, the additional team have executed 44 warrants at the homes of suspected offenders across the county. They have arrested 43 people. Twelve have been charged whilst the rest remain on bail to enable complex digital forensic work to take place.

Two men, arrested as part of the crackdown, have already been charged and convicted of downloading, making or distributing a total of nearly 400 indecent images and footage of children including material considered to be the most serious (Category A). A third man who admitted being found with more than 70,000 images of child abuse is awaiting sentence.

Det Chief Insp Jon Burgess, of Essex Police’s Crime and Public Protection Command, said: “The reality is that every day in Essex there are people viewing or distributing images of children, including babies, being sexually abused.

“Every child in every image has been abused and exploited and every time that image is accessed they are re-exploited.”

“Those individuals know what they are doing is wrong. They may try and convince themselves that there is ‘no victim’ because images already exist online and they haven’t had direct contact with the child or children involved, but my officers know that to be an utter lie.”

“Essex Police is working tirelessly to identify these people and stop them. Using all the tools and technology at our disposal we will go to where they live and work, seize their equipment and arrest them.

“As a police force we’ve invested in this area because nothing is more important than protecting our children.”

Det Sgt Ashley Howard, who is leading the extra team of officers, said: “We are knocking on the doors of people in all areas of the county from all walks of life who have been viewing indecent imagery of children.

“Those committing this serious and heinous crime need to know that the consequences are very grave.

“We will come to your home, or your workplace if we have to, we will seize your belongings, arrest you and put you before the courts. You can expect to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register which will affect your existing and future employment prospects and no doubt your family life.

“Our message is clear – downloading or viewing indecent images of children is a crime- if you are doing it or considering doing it - stop now, you can get help.”

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is the only UK-wide child protection charity focused solely on preventing child sexual abuse. It works with adults concerned about their sexual thoughts and behaviour towards children, helping them to manage their behaviour and reduce the risk they represent towards children.

The charity runs Stop it Now! – a child sexual abuse prevention campaign and helpline. Since 2002, the Stop it Now! Helpline has been contacted over 60,000 times, providing confidential and anonymous support to over 30,000 people. This includes help given to many thousands of men to stop looking at sexual images of under 18s.

Tom Squire, Clinical Manager at The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: “Stop it Now! has worked with thousands of men arrested for viewing sexual images of children.

“We help them understand the harm they have caused the children in these images, and also the serious consequences for them and their families if they don’t get to grips with their online behaviour. Once they understand this, they become far less likely to reoffend.

“But there are still tens of thousands of men out there now viewing sexual images of under 18s. We need to get to them too, to help them understand what they are doing is illegal and incredibly harmful to the children and young people in the images – and importantly to stop.

“We can give them help to stop via our Stop it Now! Helpline, or online – all support given is completely confidential. So if you are struggling with your online behaviour, or if you know someone who is, please get in touch now.”

For more information on how Stop it Now! helps people address their online behaviour, please visit the website www.stopitnow.org.uk or call the confidential Stop it Now! Helpline on 0808 1000 900.