41 suspected paedophiles arrested in West Midlands as part of UK's biggest crackdown

The six-month operation led by the National Crime Agency targeted internet users who access child abuse images and has already led to charges for serious sexual assault.

West Midlands Police today said that eight people were arrested in Sandwell as part of the operation.

Other arrests included six in Dudley, two in Walsall, two in Wolverhampton, one in Solihull, 15 in Birmingham and seven in Coventry.

Of the 41 arrested across the region 39 were men and two were women.

The suspects include doctors, teachers, Scout leaders, care workers and former police officers.

West Midlands Police said the people arrested in the region had been spoken to on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

One man has been charged with making an indecent image of a child and all the others arrested are presently on police bail while enquiries continue.

Officers confirmed a total of 660 arrests had been made nationally.

And among those arrested across the country are workers with access to children through their jobs and had no previous contact with police.

Officials from the National Crime Agency said the investigation had involved 45 police forces and had led to more than 400 children across the UK being safeguarded.

Figures showed 18 children in the West Midlands had been safeguarded.

The agency stressed none of the people arrested as part of the crackdown are a serving or former MP or member of the government.

Of the 660 people arrested nationally, 39 are registered sex offenders with the majority of those arrested not previously coming to the law's attention.

During the operation, officers searched 833 properties and examined 9,172 computers, phones and hard drives.

The NCA said it built up 'intelligence packages' on suspects and sent them to police forces across Britain.

The agency and its partners are not revealing the methods they used to track down the suspects so they can use the same tactics again in the future.

Detective Superintendent Martin Hurcomb, from West Midlands Police's public protection unit, said: "In partnership with NCA, West Midlands Police have arrested over 40 individuals who are suspected of accessing and viewing indecent images of children online.

"The majority of those arrested were not previously known to law enforcement agencies, certainly in a child protection context; however – they are now, and they will stay in our sights."

Deputy Director General of the NCA Phil Gormley said: "This is the first time the UK has had the capability to co-ordinate a single targeted operation of this nature.

"Over the past six months we have seen unprecedented levels of co-operation to deliver this result.

"Our aim was to protect children who were victims of, or might be at risk, of sexual exploitation.

"Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly.

"So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended – it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line

"We want those offenders to know that the internet is not a safe anonymous space for accessing indecent images, that they leave a digital footprint, and that law enforcement will find it".