Shocking Internet child porn spirals upwards as watchdog sees 100% rise

KEY POINTS

Internet Watch Foundation found more than 13,800 pieces of child abuse online.
Figure is for one month only and was more than double images from previous year.
IWF say there's a 'frustration we can't act more quickly to remove content'

Vile child abuse images, posted by abusers who think they are "untouchable", are swamping efforts to fight Internet paedophiles, a watchdog group has warned.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) unearthed 13,855 pieces of child abuse last September, more than double the 6,465 they found 12 months previously.

The IWF released the figures as they warned paedophiles are using more and more sophisticated ways to avoid detection online.

IWF researcher Sarah Smith said: "Many of these offenders think they are untouchable.

"We see hundreds of thousands of sex abuse videos and images including the torture and rape of babies and toddlers.

"We constantly liaise with international authorities to remove illegal content. There's a frustration we can't act more quickly to remove content. Behind every one of these pictures is a victim."

The figures were published after the conviction of scientist and former university lecturer, Dr Matthew Falder, who was jailed for 32 years after admitting to 137 charges at Birmingham Crown Court.

He was found member of online forums and so-called "hurt core" websites, which were devoted to the violent physical and sexual abuse and blackmail of sex abuse victims. The court heard how Falder would masquerade as a woman to manipulate his victims into sending him naked or partially-clothed images before blackmailing them.

He was also found to have posted videos including incestual child rape, and other humiliation videos on the hurt-core websites.

Following his sentencing, Ruona Iguyovwe, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Matthew Falder is a highly manipulative individual who clearly enjoyed humiliating his many victims and the impact of his offending in this case has been significant.

"He deliberately targeted young and vulnerable victims. At least three victims are known to have attempted suicide and some others have inflicted self-harm.

"There was a high degree of sophistication and significant planning by Falder due to his use of encryption software and technology in his electronic communication and the use of multiple fake online identities and encrypted email addresses."