6 MEN ARRESTED IN CRACKDOWN ON CHILD ABUSE

POLICE officers have arrested three men from Stoke-on-trent and one from North Staffordshire as part of a child abuse sting.

Operation Safenet – a Staffordshire Police task force set up to investigate online offenders – carried out seven warrants across the county arresting six men and safeguarding 37 children in the last fortnight.

Among the arrests were:

■ A 34-year-old man, from Stoke-on-trent, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of an indecent photograph/ pseudo-photograph of a child. He was released under investigation pending further inquiries;

■ A 33-year-old man, from Stoke-on-trent, who was arrested on suspicion of possession to show/distribute pseudo photograph of a child. He was bailed pending further inquiries;

■ A 36-year-old man, from Leek, was arrested on suspicion of making an indecent photograph/ pseudo-photograph of a child. He was released with no further investigation;

■ A 29-year-old man, from Cannock, and a 58-year-old man, from Stoke-on-trent, were arrested on suspicion of making an indecent photograph/pseudophotograph of a child. Both were bailed pending further inquiries;

■ A 41-year-old man, from Lichfield, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an indecent photograph/pseudophotograph of a child. He was bailed pending further inquiries.

Set up in 2015, Operation Safenet has been tasked with detecting abuse and prosecuting offenders who possess and distribute indecent images of children.

Sergeant Chris Hood, who works as part of Operation Safenet, said: “We will continue our work to bring people to justice and work with forces across the globe to target anyone who seeks to exploit children.”