Government unveils UK centre to combat online child abuse

The Government have unveiled plans for a new UK centre aimed at protecting children from paedophiles on the internet.

The Virtual Global Taskforce conference, which took place in Belfast on Tuesday, heard how investigators, industry figures and child protection specialists from over 20 different countries will share their expertise on limiting access to child abuse images, safeguarding children online and tracking down and protecting children identified in abuse images.

Based in London, with up to 100 staff, the new Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre will be headed by former PSNI Superintendent Jim Gamble, who is also deputy director with the National Crime Squad.

"This new centre means the internet has changed forever," he said.

"The way we're engaging children, the way we are focusing resources on those who are exploiting children for a profit motive, means that people can't go on there with confidence and commit this offence."

Paul Goggins, Home Office Minister and Chair of the Government's Taskforce on Child Protection on the Internet, said: "Countries across the EU and around the world are committed to making the internet safe for children and cracking down on paedophiles' use of the internet.

"I want to make sure that by working across international boundaries and involving the internet industry, we keep children safe from abuse in the UK and the rest of the world."

(MB)