Stings by self-styled paedophile hunters – who pose as children online to catch potential sexual predators – are diverting “significant resources” into the protection of suspects, police chiefs have said. After a court ruled in favour of a group that argued that it should face no official oversight, Ch Con Simon Bailey, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said the group’s activities could jeopardise investigations.

Bailey, the national policing lead on child abuse investigation, said so-called paedophile hunters were “taking risks they don’t understand”.

“Revealing the identity of suspected paedophiles gives the suspect the opportunity to destroy evidence before the police can investigate them,” he said. “It can jeopardise ongoing police investigations and these people have no way of safeguarding child victims.” He also warned that wrongful allegations could have grave consequences for those accused.(guardian)…[+]