News

SAFE Newsfeed

NCA launches initiative with banks to stop criminals who livestream child sexual abuse

Source: National Crime Agency (NCA) published on this website Friday 29 May 2026 by Jill Powell

Banks could provide critical intervention to stop UK offenders who pay for livestreamed child sexual abuse overseas, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said.

For the first time, the NCA has worked with financial institutions, through their Public Private Partnerships unit, to show how banks can identify possible child sexual abuse (CSA) livestreaming payments and help law enforcement to stop the ongoing abuse of a child.

With the UK as one of the worst offenders for facilitating child abuse through livestreaming overseas, the NCA has been sharing real case examples and live investigations with private sector members to identify and understand patterns of behaviour and transaction history.

And today (Monday 18 May), at an event held in partnership with Natwest Group, the NCA’s Director General (Threats) Steve Rodhouse launched an alert for financial institutions to highlight this offending, encouraging them to build processes to detect livestreaming payments on their platforms.

The event encouraged banks to proactively detect potential child sexual abuse offenders through their financial patterns, investigate transactions they believe could be funding livestreamed child sexual abuse, and help law enforcement in monitoring Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPOs).

These often include restrictions on the number of bank accounts held, bans on international money transfers or travel abroad. This type of initiative demonstrates how everyone - including industry - has a role to play in protecting children, but also an example of how the NCA will explore every opportunity to disrupt offenders and bring them before the courts.

Livestreamed CSA offences have grown in recent years and involve criminals paying facilitators overseas, often in the Philippines, to abuse children in the country on a live feed to their device. In many cases, UK offenders direct the abuse through video.

Earlier this month, 37-year-old Jamie Beckett was sentenced to 23 years after being convicted of sexual abuse offences involving seven children. Beckett offered to send the facilitator in the Philippines cash for medical appointments, electricity and WiFi in exchange for images and videos of child abuse.

The payments ranged from as little as £6.20 to a maximum of £187 per request and in a two-year period, Beckett had exchanged almost 9,500 messages and 356 media files with the facilitator.

Under the new initiative, banks will be provided guidance and advice to identify transactions to stop offenders like Beckett earlier and safeguard children no matter where they are located.

Steve Rodhouse, Director General (Threats) at the National Crime Agency, said:

“We must not shy away from what this livestreaming of abuse means. It is a practice whereby, mainly, men in the UK pay to watch the rape and sexual abuse of children overseas. It is serious crime and it is right that the NCA works with partners across the financial industry to put an end to this horrendous criminality.

“Offenders in the UK who view livestreamed child sexual abuse from overseas may also pose a risk to children in the UK. These are rarely isolated offences – criminals will often also have downloaded large volumes of child sexual abuse material and may also directly abuse children themselves.

“Behind every instance of livestreamed child sexual abuse is an exchange of money and a financial footprint. Every time this happens, there is an opportunity for offences to be prevented and children to be protected.”

While the NCA has worked with the private sector on traditional economic crime threats, such as fraud and money laundering investigations, this is the first time we have worked with the finance industry on the threat of child sexual abuse.

Mr Rodhouse added: “The NCA works internationally and borders are not barriers for us pursuing those committing offences against children, wherever they are in the world.

“This is another way we can strengthen our approach to tackling child sexual abuse. We look forward to continuing our work with the finance industry and take opportunities to stop offenders earlier.”

Marcus Wogart, Director of non-financial risk, NatWest Group, said:

“Banks and payment service providers can play an important role in combating livestreamed child sexual abuse. This work demonstrates the power of public private partnerships. By bringing together financial insight from industry with law enforcement intelligence, we can strengthen detection, improve reporting and meaningfully disrupt those responsible.”

Statement from the Children’s Commissioner on the sentencing in the Fordingbridge rape case 24 May 2026

Source: Children’s Commissioners Office published on this website Tuesday 25 May 2026 by Jill Powell

In response to the news regarding the recent rape case, which was also published on this website Friday 22 May 2026.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

“The rape of two teenage girls in Fordingbridge is deeply disturbing and has shocked people across the country. My thoughts are first and foremost with the two girls and their families, who have shown extraordinary courage in speaking out about these heinous crimes.

“No child should experience the violence, humiliation and trauma described in this case. The impact of sexual violence does not end when an attack is over, it can impact every part of a young person’s life from their safety and confidence to their education, mental health and their future. It is essential that children who report abuse feel heard, protected and treated with dignity throughout the process.

“As Children’s Commissioner I welcome the urgent review being undertaken by the Attorney General. My office will be reaching out directly to the families involved to offer support. Children must know that if they speak up, adults and institutions will act decisively to keep them safe and deliver justice.”

Investigation into charities run by designated person results in over £1.3m redistributed to good causes

Source: The Charity Commission published on this site Monday 27 April 2026 by Jill Powell

The Charity Commission has concluded its statutory inquiries into the Kantor Foundation and Kantor

Charitable Foundation, finding neither charity remained viable after the designation of the charities’ founder, Dr Vitacheslav Kantor.

Both charities were set up to provide grants to projects and causes in any part of the world as long as they were exclusively charitable. The charities shared a sole corporate trustee, which was a private limited company known as Kantor Trustees. One of the company’s directors, sole member, and the charities’ primary funder was Dr Kantor.

Background

In April 2022, the UK Government named Dr Kantor as a ‘designated person’ under the UK’s Russia Sanctions regime. This meant that it was now a criminal offence for funds or economic resources in the UK to be made available to Dr Kantor.

In the same month, the Commission opened inquiries into charities connected to Dr Kantor, these were: the Kantor Charitable Foundation (KCF), Kantor Foundation (KF) and the World Holocaust Forum Foundation (WHFF). The regulator froze charity bank accounts and prevented the trustee from parting with any of the charity’s property without the Commission’s prior consent. In May 2022, the regulator removed Dr Kantor as a trustee of WHFF meaning he was automatically disqualified from being a trustee and ceased to be a director of Kantor Trustees.

Findings

In June 2023, the inquiries concluded that the Kantor Foundation and Kantor Charitable Foundation were no longer viable and that they should be wound up and dissolved. The inquiries reached this view having taken into consideration that Dr Kantor was the sole donor and it would be unlikely that either charity could secure future funding. There were also no trustees to run the charities following Dr Kantor’s designation and subsequent resignation of the other directors from the Kantor Trustees company.

The inquiries also determined that reputational damage arising from the designation, meant that it would be unlikely that the charities could resolve these matters through fundraising or recruitment.

The inquiries found that Dr Kantor was responsible for misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of both charities for failing to proactively resign following his designation.

Dr Kantor’s failure to cooperate with the regulator’s investigation also amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement.

Recovery of funds

In May 2022, the regulator appointed Interim Managers to both charities as there were no longer any trustees running the charity. As part of their work to wind up the charities, they identified a number of outstanding Gift Aid claims were owed. After settling the charities’ liabilities, the Interim Managers distributed the remaining funds via charitable grants to several organisations, in line with the charities’ purposes. The total figure distributed to support charitable causes amounts to £1,388,000.00.

The Interim Managers also recovered a violin made by Italian violin maker, Riccardo Antoniazzi, which had been on loan from the Kantor Foundation. The violin – valued by the Foundation in 2019 as being worth £150,810 – has since been gifted to a registered charity. The terms of the gift stipulates that the violin must be used to promote musical education for the public benefit.

The charities have both been wound up and have since been removed from the public Register of Charities.

Joshua Farbridge, Head of compliance and visits and inspections at the Charity Commission, said:

“Once designated, an individual cannot legally act as a trustee. Dr Kantor’s failure to step down immediately, his decision to ignore the Commission and failure to cooperate, amounted to misconduct and/or mismanagement. It also fell below our expectations of trustees. As a result of our investigations, we have now wound up both charities. We are pleased some good can come to other charities and causes as a result of our intervention. Instead of assets lying dormant, or owed Gift Aid lost, we’ve been able to see a much-needed boost of over £1.3m into the sector, and a culturally significant musical instrument gifted to a charity furthering musical education.”

Man jailed for multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children

Source: National Crime Agency (NCA) published on this website Tuesday 5 May 2026 by Jill Powell

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years after being convicted of multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children.

Jamie Beckett, from Wakefield, was arrested in December 2022 by National Crime Agency officers after receiving intelligence from international partners.

Further work by NCA investigators revealed links between a PayPal account, Gmail account and mobile number which were attributed to Beckett.

Beckett exploited the facilitator and victims' financial situation by offering cash for medical appointments, electricity and wifi in exchange for images and videos of child abuse. The payments ranged from as little as £6.20 to a maximum of £187 per request.

Online records revealed that between June 2020 and June 2022, Beckett had exchanged 9,493 messages, 356 media files and approximately 39 calls with the facilitator.

Beckett, a telecommunications engineer by profession, would provide specific instructions of what he wanted the facilitator to do to the victims. When the bespoke content did not meet his criteria, he withheld payment until new media was supplied which he was satisfied with.

Messages included Beckett persuading the facilitator to inflict sexual or physical harm, saying 'it will be a good money earn for you' and the child will 'get used' to it.

He would also object to receiving content he had already seen, instead demanding new images and videos of abuse. At one point he stated he wanted to travel to the Philippines to engage in the abuse himself.

In total, Beckett paid just under £560 for the abuse material which involved seven children aged between 5-15. The children have since been safeguarded.

Analysis of devices seized from his home found further evidence of his guilt, including indecent images of children on his mobile phone.

Beckett pleaded guilty to 25 charges at Leeds Crown Court in February 2026. He was sentenced to 23 years at the same court Friday 1 May, 16 years custodial and seven years on license. Beckett will be on the sex offenders' register for life and be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Judge Batiste described his offending as 'vile, repulsive, revolting and truly appalling beyond words' and gave the NCA officers involved a Judge's commendation for their work on the case.

Danielle Pownall, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, said:

"This was a long and complex investigation into a depraved individual with a blatant disregard for children. Beckett completely dehumanised his victims, paying pitiful amounts of money in exchange for images and videos of extreme child abuse. The transactional relationship between Beckett and the facilitator exploited the victims' vulnerability and circumstances.

"With thanks to US law enforcement colleagues and the Philippine National Police, the NCA was able to identify Beckett and bring him to justice. We will continue to work closely with partners at home and abroad together with the Crown Prosecution Service to protect children from the threat posed by individuals who would seek to harm them."

Baroness Casey calls for a moment of reckoning on adult social care

Source: Independent Commission on Adult Social Care published on this website Tuesday 10 March 2026 by Jill Powell

In a speech on the 5 March at the Nuffield Trust Summit, Baroness Casey said social care has never had its own “creation moment” and called for a national reckoning equivalent to Beveridge’s reforms in 1948.

In her speech, Baroness Casey set out how there is currently a reliance on cobbled together underfunded services relying on low-paid care workers, a lack of ownership and accountability, and a deep divide between health and social care which leaves families to navigate alone.

In her remarks at the Nuffield Trust Summit, Baroness Casey of Blackstock said:

“Unlike the NHS or indeed the benefits system, social care has never had its own creation moment. No moment when the nation decided what it was for, what people should expect or who should pay, and how.

“Instead, we inherited a system shaped for a very different age, held together with add-ons and work arounds, sticking plasters and glue. Without ever having the moment of reckoning we now need.”

She stated that a national conversation would be needed to seek backing from the public who pay for health and social care through their taxes, but might not even know what social care is.

Baroness Casey also confirmed she has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asking the Government to take six immediate actions on dementia, motor neurone disease and adult safeguarding due to the urgency of the reform needed in these areas.

This includes asking the Government to scale up dementia trials, appoint a new Dementia Tsar, set up a new National Safeguarding Board to protect vulnerable adults, and to introduce a new fast-track, social care passport for people diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

For more detail:

The full speech was streamed by the Nuffield Trust here: Nuffield Trust Summit 2026

The speech is available to watch on the Nuffield Trust’s YouTube account: Click here to view.

The prepared text of the speech has been published on The Independent Commissions website: Click here to view.

Baroness Casey’s letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care with her immediate asks of the Government can be found here: Click here to view.