Police force’s list of child-grooming hotspots leaked

‘VULNERABLE’ PLACES HIGHLIGHTED BY REPORT

Reporter A LIST of ‘hotspots’ Northumbria Police and Newcastle City Council believe could be used by paedophiles to target children has been leaked on social media.

The list, which was supposed to remain confidential but has been seen by the Chronicle, comes from an intelligence report aimed at preventing groomers.

It contains places apparently identified as “vulnerable areas” which could be used by predators seeking to abuse children.

The section of the list leaked online includes popular fast food outlets, gyms and public spaces across Newcastle, but there is no suggestion that any crime has been committed in relation to this list.

Northumbria Police say they are in the process of contacting the businesses included on the list after they were identified publicly. The report is attributed to Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board, a multi-agency operation which oversees how atrisk children are cared for, and appears to have been updated in August 2017.

Although the Chronicle has only seen one page, it is believed the leaked information is just one page of a larger report.

Northumbria Police and Newcastle City Council confirmed they were aware that the “community intelligence” was in the public domain but did not say how it ended up being leaked.

Northumbria Police said officers will be contacting these locations “to discuss how we can work with communities to keep the public safe and protected”.

Detective superintendent for safeguarding, Mick Paterson, said: “The prevention of sexual exploitation is a top priority for Northumbria Police and we work tirelessly with local authorities to develop our relationships within the community to ensure public safety.

“Community engagement and identifying ‘hotspots’ are two of the forms of policing we use to maximise the safeguarding of potential victims.”