Police crack down on offenders targeting children and vulnerable people in Cheshire

An operation targeted at protecting young and vulnerable people has taken place across Cheshire this week.

Operation Guardians is a recurring operation for Cheshire Constabulary, the latest round of which took place this week over 21 and 22 June, and combined the efforts of several policing units and functions, including neighbourhood policing, the Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the Online Child Abuse Images Team (OCAIT), and the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU), among others.

Together, more than 200 officers and staff worked to target and deter predators, conduct checks on known offenders and suspects, and build bridges with vulnerable youngsters to prevent them from coming to harm.

Activity over the two days included SOMU officers visiting people on the sex offenders’ register to ensure they were complying with the conditions of their sexual harm prevention orders, and OCAIT officers visiting suspects to check that bail terms were being adhered to.

Elsewhere, officers from the newly formed Protecting Vulnerable People team visited some of our most vulnerable and high risk children in Cheshire to build positive engagement, and identify and prevent risk factors that could see them come to harm in some way.

And officers in the local policing units across the county undertook arrange of activities including visits to schools and colleges, knife sweeps in hotspot areas for anti-social behaviour and violence, and general high visibility patrolling in key areas.

The two-day operation included the following:

• More than 100 registered sex offenders had unannounced visits from specialist Police, and Probation, offender managers.
• Thirty-three sex offenders subject to Sexual Harm Prevention Orders had devices examined for evidence of offending / compliance with orders.
• More than 25 care homes across Cheshire had visits from police officers and staff.
• Over 50 children who regularly go missing from home and/or are vulnerable to child exploitation were engaged with whilst not in crisis.
• Five warrants executed – including two suspected modern slavery premises with high levels of vulnerability to sex workers.
• Five sex offenders arrested for order breaches.
• Six suspects interviewed by specialist officers over ongoing online offence investigations, and bail compliance checks conducted at home addresses of five other individuals currently on bail.
• Two suspects charged with indecent image offences.
• Joint working with partners from across Cheshire with schools and education facilities across visited by officers to talk about child exploitation and knife crime.
• Specialist officers from the region worked online to identify those intent of using the internet to groom and meet young people.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Williams, who was responsible for co-ordinating the operation, said: “Operation Guardians places a spotlight on what our officers are doing every day in order to protect and safeguard children in Cheshire.

“The protection of children within Cheshire is a priority to all of us at Cheshire Police – that’s why a big focus of this particular version of Operation Guardians was to ensure that known offenders and suspects that are on bail are not doing anything that will cause further harm.

“It’s vital that those who would do harm to children in Cheshire know that we won’t let it go unchecked and unchallenged – this operation may have shone a light on this activity, but it’s very much our business as usual the whole year round.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, John Dwyer: “A key priority in my Police and Crime Plan is to protect vulnerable and at-risk people. Children and young people can be some of the most vulnerable people in society and can be at risk of exploitation by criminals.

“The proactive work undertaken by Cheshire Constabulary over the past two days demonstrates the work being done in this area.

“My thanks go to all the officers and staff involved in this crucial work. We all have our part to play in keeping our children safe and it’s vital people know the signs to look out for.”

Anyone who has information relating to child abuse and exploitation or has concerns can call Cheshire Constabulary on 101 or report online via our website.

Information can also be provided anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.