Cambridgeshire Police: 'Failure' over delays in online paedophile cases

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said one detective "struggled to progress the additional investigations in the absence of their colleague"

Police investigating paedophiles online failed to progress a case for more than two-and-a-half years, a report said.

A part-time Cambridgeshire Police detective already had the equivalent of a full-time workload when given two extra cases, the police watchdog found.

Between January 2016 and April 2019 one investigation went un-progressed for 20 months, and another for 31 months.

The force said since the report, measures had been put in place to regularly review workloads.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) report said it "investigated a failure to progress two investigations" by the detective, who worked in the force's Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT).

It said the detective was allocated two cases after a colleague went on long-term leave.

"Despite working part-time, the detective already had a workload equivalent to a full-time member of staff and therefore struggled to progress the additional investigations in the absence of their colleague," the IOPC said.

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The watchdog added that a sergeant was "not confident in managing the performance of a detective", and that no action plan was implemented over the progress of the investigations.

"It became apparent during the investigation that the role of HR [human resources] in performance management has been reduced in recent years, and that inspectors do not have an active role in the performance management of detectives," it said.

The watchdog also made recommendations for the force regarding "sufficient wellbeing and welfare support" for those working in the POLIT.

The detective, who was not named in the report, has left to take up a new role in another force.

Det Supt John Massey, from Cambridgeshire Police, said training for the department's officers was under review and there was a "new mentoring scheme".

"Since this report was compiled measures have been put in place to regularly review the workloads of officers and provide additional support to line managers to ensure they are able to supervise their teams effectively," he said.

"Officers within the POLIT undergo annual psychological testing to ensure they remain suitable for their role.

"Their wellbeing is of the utmost importance and is a topic of monthly supervision and other ongoing contact with their line manager."