A SPECIALIST team has been launched by North Yorkshire Police to identify and support investigations into online child abuse across the county.

The new Online Abuse Team has been established in response to a national pilot study that highlighted recommendations to all forces.

North Yorkshire Police has adopted the recommendations and the new team is expected to speed up investigation time, improve evidence gathering, and increase the rate of guilty pleas.

The team will focus on investigations relating to images of child abuse and urgent cases referred to North Yorkshire Police by the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

It will also work on cases uncovered by the proactive work of North Yorkshire Police, and those referred to them by other forces.

They will also provide specialist, expert knowledge and support to officers across the force who are investigating online child abuse.

The team is split across York, Harrogate, Scarborough and Northallerton, close to the force’s Investigation Hubs and Serious Crime Teams so they can provide on-the-spot advice and input into ongoing investigations.

Detective Inspector Darrin Knight who heads the Digital Intelligence and Investigation Department, said: “Technology is constantly changing, making it easier for online paedophiles to view images of abuse, we need to stay one step ahead of them.

“The new team gives us the resources to focus on this priority area of crime and further develop our expertise and knowledge.

“Combined with the skills of the wider department, we’ll provide a comprehensive and specialist capability across the force.

“Everyone shares our revulsion at images of child abuse.

“Each image represents a child who has been through the worst abuse imaginable.

“By looking at them, offenders are creating a demand, and we are determined to disrupt that demand and safeguard as many children as possible.”

Julia Mulligan, the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, added: “Caring for the vulnerable is one of the four priorities for North Yorkshire Police, and this new team will help ensure victims of some of the worst crimes imaginable are supported and protected, with offenders brought to justice, wherever possible.”