Record number of suspected paedophiles being arrested

A record number of 1,000 suspected paedophiles are being arrested every month in England and Wales, police have said.

Assistant Chief Constable Becky Riggs, the national police lead for child protection and abuse investigation, said officials also step in to protect more than 1,200 children from mistreatment and abuse every month.

Her comments came as the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF), which runs the Stop It Now helpline to stop paedophiles viewing child abuse images online, said 330,610 people accessed its services in 2025, up from 275,648 in 2024, a rise of around 20%.

Ms Riggs said: “Across the UK, policing is now arresting around 1,000 potential child sexual abuse offenders every month, and safeguarding more than 1,200 children, reflecting the sheer scale of the threat we are confronting.

“But enforcement alone cannot keep pace with the speed at which people can be drawn into harmful online behaviour. We need a whole system response, and that includes ensuring people have safe, confidential places to seek help before they cross a line.

“Services like Stop It Now play an essential preventative role by helping individuals understand their behaviour early, interrupt escalation, and ultimately reduce the number of children who experience abuse.

“We urge anyone who is worried about their behaviour, or that of someone close to them, to reach out for help now. Early intervention protects children – and it prevents lives from being irrevocably damaged.”

LFF runs a confidential helpline for people worried about their own online sexual behaviour towards children, or that of a loved one.

Dr Alexandra Bailey, head of psychology at LFF, said contrary to stereotypes, people who view child abuse images can be young, in a steady relationship or have families.

Last year, of 3,427 people who contacted the helpline, 21% were aged under 25; more than a third, 34%, were married or in a relationship; and one in four, 26%, said they had their own children.

Dr Bailey said: “We hear every day from people who are frightened by the direction their online behaviour is taking but feel unsure whether they are ‘the kind of person’ who needs help.

“That hesitation can mean problems escalate when early, confidential support could have made a real difference.

“In order to prevent online child sexual abuse, people must understand that behaviour can escalate to the point of causing harm, but also that change is possible.

“Reaching out early isn’t about excusing harmful behaviour – it’s about stopping abuse before a child is harmed.”

The Stop It Now helpline is on 0808 1000 900 or online.

Disturbing

Kerry Smith, chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, said: “These disturbing findings shine a light on a problem which we must all, as a society, urgently confront.

“The internet has opened a door into every home in the world – into every child’s bedroom – exposing children to some of the worst harms imaginable.

“It is clear to us that all new technology, whether a new social platform, messaging app, or AI generator, must be designed and built up to be safe by design.

“It is abundantly clear that treating these harms as inevitable and waiting for them to happen is unacceptable, and will only result in more children falling victim.

“Built in deterrence messaging and signposting to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s crucial services are an important step for platforms to consider.”