Monday May 14, 2007
Offender caught out by 'Most Wanted' Website
A convicted child sex offender who spent four years on the run has failed to avoid prosecution after being caught out by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre’s Most Wanted Website.
Alexander Dalgleish went missing from Preston, Lancashire in August 2002 after failing to register. The 34 year old changed his name several times and travelled continually throughout the UK and Ireland in an attempt to evade the authorities.
Despite extensive efforts, his luck ran out when Lancashire Constabulary posted his details on the Most Wanted website. Dalgleish was among the first five offenders who featured on the site when it went live last November.
Within a month, public sightings and intelligence gathered by the CEOP Centre and Lancashire Constabulary had led the police to Ireland. Once located, Dalgleish took advice to return to the UK where he was arrested by Lancashire officers in Scarborough.
Dalgleish was later charged with failing to comply with his notification requirements and theft. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Preston Crown court this morning.
www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted was launched six months ago as the first national website dedicated to tracking convicted child sex offenders who are ‘missing’. It has already been successful in locating five ‘wanted’ offenders.
Jim Gamble is the CEO at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. He said:
Offenders who believe they can evade escape management by going on the run underestimate our determination to track them down. With the public’s help we are finding these offenders one by one.
The positive outcome of this case is a credit to the people who reported sightings and also the persistent efforts of the Centre and Leicestershire Constabulary to ensure that Dalgleish was brought to account.
We hope today’s outcome will send a strong message to any offender who is currently outstanding – hand yourself in, or prepare for public exposure as the latest addition to ‘Most Wanted’.
Detective Constable Dave Jackson from Lancashire Constabulary said:
Today’s sentence brings to an end a difficult inquiry to trace Alexander Dalgleish. We are grateful to the public for their support in helping us to locate him and put him before the court for failing to register.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre continues to appeal for information about outstanding offenders, John Murrell, Joshua Karney and Peter Wheatherley. They are sought for failing to comply with notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Murrell was last seen in the Worcestershire area. He is known to have links with Belfast, Aberystwyth and Blackpool.
Weatherley is missing from the South Yorkshire area but is known to have links in the north of England. Intelligence also indicates that he could be in Spain, or elsewhere in Europe.
Karney has connections in the Lancashire area but is known to travel throughout the United Kingdom.
Further information and photographs can been found at www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted.
Ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
Members of the public can safely help locate ‘missing’ offenders by viewing photos and descriptions via the CEOP and Crimestoppers websites. If they recognise someone they are urged to contact the local police force, or if they wish to remain anonymous they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
This initiative forms a key element of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre’s approach to tracking and bringing offenders to account. All individuals published on the site have previously been convicted for an offence for which they have already served punishment within the criminal justice system. They are sought because they have subsequently failed to fulfil their requirements as part of their placement on the Sex Offenders Register. This is an arrestable offence, with a punishment of up to five years imprisonment.
Details of previous offences will not be disclosed to the media for the reasons stated above.
Photographs of offenders will only be published with the consent of the local police force. Individual forces are under no obligation to publish their offenders on the Most Wanted site. Further offenders will be considered for inclusion on the ‘Most Wanted’ site in consultation with local police forces.
The decision to publish the details of all offenders detailed on the site has been risk assessed by the CEOP Centre and relevant local forces.
The CEOP Centre works in both online and offline environments to protect children from sexual exploitation. Full information on all areas of work as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting can be found at www.ceop.gov.uk.
The organisation is affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and powers are derived from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It is based in Pimlico, London with developing outreach channels to all areas of both domestic and international policing as well as industry and specialist support and educational faculties.
For further information please contact Clive Michel/Sarah Shakespeare/Miriam Rich at The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre on 0870 000 3434 or 0207 238 2312.