Former Ceop head: 'Can't brush crimes under carpet'

Some paedophiles with images of child abuse will escape prosecution, the head of the National Crime Agency says.

The NCA's director general Keith Bristow said the organisation would have to focus on pursuing those who posed most risk but that others would face a "range of interventions".

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) - part of the NCA - has estimated that 50,000 people in the UK are involved in downloading and sharing images of child abuse.

Former head of Ceop, Jim Gamble, who resigned over the merger of the two organisations, said the Home Secretary Theresa May was at fault for not prioritising resources to tackle child abuse.

He said most of those who viewed images would go on to commit a "contact offence" against children and should be pursued.