FIVE men have been arrested by Merseyside Police in connection with separate incidents of possessing indecent images of children.

During a week of action, the arrests were made as a result of information developed by Merseyside Police’s specialist Online Child Abuse Investigation Team.

The team identified that indecent images of children were accessed and uploaded to the internet on various dates in the last year.

Officers attended addresses across Merseyside this week and five men were arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent photographs of a child or on suspicion of making indecent photographs of a child.

Devices seized

The suspects have been bailed with conditions, and a number of electronic devices seized will be forensically examined.

In a statement, Detective Sergeant McGorian said: “Merseyside Police is completely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse and those who seek to do them harm, and we take all such reports extremely seriously.

“If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to us.

“We have a dedicated team of specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”

Who to contact

If you are a child or young person suffering sexual or physical abuse, the following organisations can also provide help and support: NSPCC – call 0808 800 5000 or e-mail help@nspcc.org.uk.

Childline – call 0800 1111 If you’ve been affected by sexual violence of any kind don’t be afraid to tell someone, find the courage to come forward and get the help you deserve.

You can report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences anonymously here: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/how-to-report-rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/

There is a lot of support available from specialist officers within Merseyside Police and through the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service delivered jointly by two registered charities.

In Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, support is provided by Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside who are available on 0151 558 1801 and, in St Helens and Knowsley, by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063.