Current timestamp: 04/08/2026 01:28:18
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal Activity[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-location' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Leave this site

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Sign in

Recorded offences of indecent / prohibited images of children 2023-24

Request

Please see below a freedom of information request from the NSPCC. Receipt of you receiving the request and a reference number would be appreciated. If you are minded to refuse the request on time and cost grounds, please get in touch in order to discuss what data you may be able to provide.

a) The total number of recorded offences of indecent images (still or moving) of children and prohibited images of children for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

b) The number of recorded offences which related to pseudo images of
children.

c) The total number of recorded offences where an Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated child abuse image was detected.

d) For each offence for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 please break it down by the platform used to commit the offence where known using the following key word search: Snapchat, Facebook/Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, X/Twitter, Kik, TikTok, YouTube, Discord, Skype, Facetime, Roblox, Oculus, VR, Metaverse, Only Fans, Signal, iCloud, iMessage, Dropbox, Mega, Patreon, other social media or messaging site, other cloud storage site and online gaming.

Response

I approached our Performance Review Unit for assistance with your request. An
analyst within this unit has conducted a search of our Crime Management System - Connect which records complaints or allegations of those matters, which the Home Office specify should be recorded as 'crimes'. All our systems are designed and used first and foremost for Policing Purposes and have limited search capability. They provided me with the following search criteria:

Incident Created Date is between 01/04/2023 and 31/03/2024 AND SYP & crime only filter AND HO classification is equal to / is in 086/02; 086/15

A&B) 

I have provided a count of specified offences recorded on CONNECT crime between incident created date 01/04/2023 and 31/03/2024 recorded with the HO classification code 086/02 (Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs, of children) & 086/15 (Possessing prohibited images of children). The total number of offences recorded for this period is 1,187.

086/02 = 1185
086/15 = 2

C)
Below is a further count of where the specified keyword appears in the Initial MO free text report.

AI = 0
Artificial Intelligence = 0

D)

Snapchat = 152
Facebook = 28
Messenger = 4
Instagram = 37
WhatsApp = 19
Twitter = 14
X/Twitter = 0
Kik = 7
TikTok = 13
YouTube = 34
Discord = 0
Skype = 0
Facetime = 8
Roblox = 0
Oculus = 0
VR = 0
Metaverse = 0
Only Fans = 1
Signal = 0
ICloud = 4
IMessage = 3
Dropbox = 6
Mega = 1
Patreon = 0
Social Media = 67
Online Gaming = 0

 

Please note, every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that data has been extracted from data sources used by this force for police purposes. The detail collected to respond specifically to your request is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording systems and information assets.

The figures provided therefore are our best interpretation of relevance of data to your request, but you should be aware that the collation of figures/data for any requests may have limitations, and this should be taken into account when those data are used.

Police forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures for capturing the data. For these reasons this response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with responses you may receive from other police forces.