'I help the ignored victims of paedophiles'

PC Tom Scott is the first officer in England and Wales to be tasked with supporting the families of suspected online child sex offenders

Lincolnshire Police is the first force in the UK to employ an officer tasked with supporting the families of those caught committing online child sexual abuse. BBC News finds out more.

"You could be sitting on the sofa with someone and have no idea what they are doing or who they are talking to using their mobile phone or other device," says PC Tom Scott.

"If your partner is a drug dealer you would probably have an inkling - they would probably have more cash. But with this type of crime there are usually, literally no clues.

"In an instant whole families have their lives ripped apart. They also need supporting."

PC Tom Scott discussed his role at the Interpol Specialist Group on Crimes Against Children conference in March

Based within Lincolnshire Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team, PC Scott is an indirect victim support officer.

"We're the first force to create this role. Hampshire Police have done a year-long trial and I'm aware of other forces pushing their chief officers to create roles," he says.

In March, he spoke about the role during a conference at Interpol's headquarters in Lyon, France.

PC Scott, who was assigned the role in 2022 following a successful six-month trial, says he is contacted as soon as his colleagues make an arrest for online child sex abuse.

"I am the point of contact for the suspect's family," he says.

"Within a couple of hours I will be talking to them. They will be provided with my mobile number and I will provide them with the information and reassurance they need to make decisions concerning their family."

Families are often oblivious to online crimes committed by their loved ones, says PC Scott (pictured posed by model)

PC Scott calls the families of suspects the "ignored victims".

He says: "These unsuspecting victims are shocked, upset, disgusted... as everybody else is. But punishing them, indirectly, is not the right thing to do.

"Before this role was created, families would be given a leaflet offering some advice."

Due to the nature of the crime, it is not something people can easily talk to other relatives or their friends about, explains PC Scott.

"There is deep shame," he says. "They often feel they can't talk to anyone. That's where I come in."

I press the officer on whether he truly believes the partners of those engaged in such behaviour have no inkling whatsoever as to their crimes.

PC Scott is emphatic.

"I have dealt with hundreds of families," he says. "And I believe none of them were aware."

PC Scott calls the partners and children of suspects "the forgotten victims".

"Everything changes for them," he says. "All agencies try to ensure the process is as least damaging as possible.

"However, he [the suspect] may not be allowed to sleep at the home address.

"Children's services will be involved. There may only be supervised contact with their own children."

I note PC Scott's use of the "he" pronoun. Are they exclusively male?

"In all but one of the cases I have been involved in, the suspect has been male," he replies.

'I love what I do'

PC Scott says he gets enormous satisfaction from the role.

"I love what I do," he says.

"When something like this happens to your family, there are so many fears of the unknown. It is like being in a dark room and being told there is a monster in there somewhere.

"What I do is come in and turn the light on. The monster will still be there, but at least you can see it."

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