Police pose as would-be paedophiles as part of Child sexual exploitation crackdown

Plain-clothed police officers have been posing as would-be paedophiles as part of a crackdown on child sexual exploitation.

They visited hotels and other licensed premises in Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds, York, Scarborough, Scunthorpe and Hull with a child - and attempted to book a double room - with cash and without ID.

In 2015 and 16, there were 63 cases of children being abused in hotels or B&Bs in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Detective Superintendent Simon Beldon of the Yorkshire and the Humber region, said: "The purpose of this operation was not to stigmatise hotels but to see if the training is working and having the necessary impact. 　

"The training package encourages members of staff working in these establishments to be professionally inquisitive in situations that don’t look or feel normal. Staff at hotels that have done this in the past and reported it to the police, have undoubtedly prevented children coming to significant harm.