Police Scotland investigations into online child abuse have resulted in 180 children being protected over the last six months.

Officers from Police Scotland’s Internet Investigations Unit have prepared over 350 National Online Child Abuse Prevention (NOCAP) packages since January, with 100 offenders being arrested and 180 children being protected from online child abuse.

Assistant Chief Constable Duncan Sloan, Major Crime and Public Protection lead for Police Scotland, said: “Online child sexual abuse is a national threat with advancements in technology, online functions and platforms giving predators ever evolving opportunity to target children. Behind every downloaded image, every attempt to groom or to extort, is a child being victimised by a faceless predator.”

“As today’s figures show, predators are not anonymous. Every action leaves a trace, and we will work with our partners, nationally and internationally, to track you down. You will be caught and you risk losing everything,” he added.

NOCAP packages provide intelligence and evidence which underpins investigations carried out by both Police Scotland’s National Child Abuse Investigations Unit and local policing divisions to identify and apprehend online child abusers.

Police Scotland works with a wide range of partners, nationally and internationally, and from all sectors including law enforcement agencies, internet service providers and third sector organisations, to identify perpetrators, to tackle the threat and to build safer online communities.

Assistant Chief Constable Duncan Sloan added: “Tackling online child abuse is a priority. We draw on specialist resources from across our organisation to gather intelligence, to carry out digital forensic examinations and to support our investigations.

“And we will continue to improve our response: investing resources, using the latest technologies and taking action to identify and apprehend those who pose a threat to our children,” he concluded.