Police conclude first stage of porn probe

Detectives investigating an internet paedophile ring are close to
completing the initial investigations into suspects who work with
children.

Priority has been given to 2,000 professionals who had access to
children or were in positions of authority when the welfare of
children was being considered.

A spokesperson for the National Crime Squad, which is providing
advice and technical support for the inquiries, said: “Our
understanding is that the priority investigations are now pretty
much completed.”

Hundreds of social care staff are among the “priority one” and
“priority two” suspects investigated during the nationwide inquiry
code-named Operation Ore.

It may be several months before the results of the inquiries into
the social care staff suspects are collated because individual
forces are in charge of local investigations.

Meanwhile, the head of the investigation in London has admitted
that he has had to transfer officers from child protection teams to
arrest suspects in Operation Ore.

Detective chief superintendent Derrick Kelleher said: “These teams
are already stretched to the limit. Our priority must be protecting
children who are at risk here and now.”

Operation Ore was launched after US investigators provided the
details of 7,000 credit cards registered in Britain which had been
used to pay for access to websites featuring the sexual abuse of
children.

Investigators in the US are reported to have discovered the details
of a further 7,000 Britons who have used another internet child
pornography ring. A new operation is likely to be launched in
Britain to investigate these.