Konstantinos Hrisos

Konstantinos Hrisos, a 63-year-old man from Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, has admitted to a series of grave child sexual offences, including the direct abuse of a seven-year-old girl and the possession of an extensive collection of indecent images of children. The case, investigated by the National Crime Agency (NCA), highlights the dangers posed by individuals who progress from online exploitation to real-world abuse.

In September 2019, NCA officers arrested Hrisos following intelligence that he had been downloading indecent images of children (IIOC). A search of his home uncovered electronic devices containing 246,829 abuse images, comprising 1,040 Category A images and videos—the most severe classification—along with 23,527 prohibited images. Among this vast 'sick collection' were 'upskirt' photographs that Hrisos himself had taken in a public park of two girls, aged approximately five and 12 years old, demonstrating his active involvement in creating exploitative material.

Further investigation by the NCA revealed that Hrisos had been abusing a seven-year-old girl for at least 12 months. He captured over 2,000 images and videos of the victim during the assaults and confessed to sexually assaulting her on nearly 30 separate occasions. Hrisos appeared at Newcastle Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to 49 charges related to these offences, including possession and creation of IIOC and sexual assault of a child.

Graham Ellis, NCA operations manager, commented on the case: 'Konstantinos Hrisos is a danger to children. He’s gone from downloading images online, to photographing children in a park to eventually abusing a child. Hrisos’s offending has escalated in a way that the NCA is seeing in many other cases.' Ellis also noted the broader context, stating that the NCA and UK police arrest around 450 child sex offenders monthly and safeguard approximately 680 children in the same period. Referrals of child sexual abuse material from the tech industry have surged, from 43,072 in 2016 to 113,948 in 2018, underscoring the growing scale of such crimes.

Following his admissions, Hrisos was remanded into custody, with sentencing scheduled for 6 September 2020 at Newcastle Crown Court. This case exemplifies the devastating impact of child sexual exploitation, where every image represents a child's life irreparably harmed, perpetuated by offenders like Hrisos.