A paedophile who paid to watch children in the Philippines being abused has been jailed thanks to the hard work of Essex Police officers who investigate the appalling crime of online child abuse.
Officers from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) carried out a warrant at an address in Chapel Road, Langham in January 2018 after receiving information that internet at the address was being used to access vile images and videos of child abuse.
The man living at the address was 58-year-old Adrian Page. He was swiftly arrested by officers and was booked into custody.
During forensic searches and analysis of his computer by highly trained police staff, investigating officers discovered more than 140 indecent images of children.
Officers also found that between June 2015 and January 2018 Page exchanged thousands of messages with people online arranging and paying to sick, disgusting and vile footage of children in the Philippines being abused.
Page was subsequently charged with eight counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possession of an indecent image of a child, and one count of possession of extreme pornography.
Page admitted the charges at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday 16 November and was sentenced to four years in prison. He was also put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Sam Petken from POLIT said:
“Adrian Page is a dangerous and prolific sexual predator who arranged and paid for children to abuse for his own gratification.
“He did this over a period of years and had little regard for the children who were being exploited.
“He is now behind bars, and children are safer for it.
“This investigation shows we’ll pursue offenders regardless of where the victim may be located.
“We’re here to protect children and to put paedophiles behind bars.
“My message to offenders is this: if you’re putting children at risk, if you’re paying to see children being abused – we will find you, we’ll put you in front of a court, and we’ll bring you to justice.”
