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A Met cop has spoken out about her role in the investigation into a “horrific” case of child exploitation by a repeated sex offender.
Tyler Charter, of Windsor House, Croydon, is due to be sentenced today at Croydon Crown Court for arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and possession of images of children.
Detective Constable Nikki Jones led the investigation into Charter after intelligence from the National Crime Agency (NCA) identified the 35-year-old as a key suspect in grooming young children in June 2022.
Charter had previously been sentenced to seven years in prison in July 2018, but had been released on parole in May 2022.
DC Jones said: “We were flagged intelligence about Charter, who was known to police as a registered sex offender, which showed him discussing sexual offences and sharing videos with like-minded individuals on his Telegram account.”
Telegram is a messaging app you can access from multiple devices.
DC Jones arrested Charter at his address in Croydon in September 2022. During the arrest he was seen trying to dispose of evidence on his devices before officers stepped in and seized them.
DC Jones said: “He resisted arrest and was restrained.
“When he was interviewed he became violent and answered “no comment” to all the questions we put to him.”
Charter’s phone was sent for analysis which revealed conversations between him and other Telegram users, detailing a desire to commit horrific acts, including rape towards minors in South London.
DC Jones said: “On his account we found 4,233 images and videos of children – many of which included Category A videos of young boys and babies.”
Category A defines images or videos involving penetrative sexual activity.
Officers also uncovered conversations discussing the abuse of young children, some as young as three years old, as well as exchanges of Charter arranging assaults on underage victims.
DC Jones said: “Charter is a very dangerous man. Our work is crucial in preventing high-risk predators like him from targeting, grooming and sexually abusing vulnerable children in our society.”
Charter was found guilty at Croydon Magistrates Court on February 29, 2024.
Detective Inspector Peter Harvey, from the Met’s online child exploitation and specialist crime team, works alongside 70 staff members on 400 investigations at one time.
He said: “We have a proactive system that reacts to intelligence and victim reports as well as officers who engage with schools to educate teachers, parents and families about the warning signs for child exploitation.
“Warning signs include children becoming suddenly withdrawn, personality changes or unexplained gifts.
“It is important to have open conversations with your child so they are comfortable sharing any concerns. After these conversations it is important that concerns are reported to the police.”
In Feburary, a report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) – reviewed investigations by the Met into child exploitation.
Of the 244 cases it examined, 121 were rated inadequate, 80 as needing improvement and 43 were graded as good.
The Inspectorate said the Met had to fix these failings before it can get out of special measures. The inspectorate placed the force in special measures in June 2022.
Since the report, the Met said it has put more resources into the area and is retraining officers to have a better understanding of child exploitation.