UK: Hi-tech police to thwart paedophiles

Chilling interviews with convicted paedophiles could hold the key to protecting millions of children from abuse.

Police in the UK hope clues gleaned from hundreds of hours of recordings will help them get into the minds of perverts before they have an opportunity to strike.

British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will today officially open the behavioural analysis unit where the ingenious work is taking place.

She said the unit, part of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop), is an example of how the UK is leading the world in tackling child abuse.

Experts are studying more than 1,000 hours of interviews to help officers second guess those that prey on children.

The information will be used to build criminal profiles, identify patterns of behaviour and provide a unique insight into the minds of paedophiles.

Jim Gamble, who heads Ceop, said the information will not only help police sharpen their methods, but also improve education campaigns aimed at children.

He said paedophiles are constantly changing their methods to try and outwit both the authorities and their victims.

The former Northern Ireland anti-terrorist chief said that as a result police will fall behind if they “stand still”.

He said: “We are going to know what they think before they do so that next time they arrive in a place where a child is vulnerable we will be there waiting for them.”

The behavioural analysis centre is based on a similar unit run by the FBI in the United States.

It includes state-of-the-art video editing technology where recordings made in prisons and after offenders are released can be studied.

Among those who have been interviewed are some of the nine on-the-run criminals traced after being featured on Ceop’s “Most Wanted” site.

Detective Superintendent Graham Hill, who heads the unit, said his team was looking for insights into how and why paedophiles are able to commit their crimes.

He said it is not just what individuals say, but unconscious facial gestures and body language that can give away their true feelings and motivation.

Mr Hill, who has travelled to Portugal to join the search for Madeleine McCann, said the unit may help detectives confronted by similar abduction cases.

He said: “This is about trying to understand what makes them tick.”

Ms Smith said the Government was working hard to close the net around paedophiles to make it harder for them to target vulnerable children.

She said: “By studying the behaviour, mannerisms and language of both the abused and the abusers, we will learn more about these crimes than ever before to help us investigate, deter and catch offenders – ultimately to prevent these horrific crimes.”

Ceop, part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), also launched its own academy today.

Those that work in child protection, from police to charity workers, will be able to study for a qualification accredited by the University of Central Lancashire.

Police chiefs said the qualification will help create a network of experts with the very latest knowledge of child protection techniques.

Mr Gamble said the answers to questions about why people prey sexually on young children are “unimaginable” to many.

But he said they could provide vital clues to help police intervene before another life is destroyed.

He said: “So what we are doing today is building a resource that will be focused on honing that understanding.”

“That will look to build factual, contemporary knowledge of how offenders operate and justify their behaviour.

“We are underpinning that with an academic programme that will be open to police officers and other child protection professionals throughout the UK.

“This will become our foundation towards better protection through better understanding.”