Alfred Liddle

A dangerous sexual predator, Alfred Liddle, has been jailed following a sophisticated online police operation targeting child exploitation. Liddle, aged 32 and of no fixed abode, was apprehended after initiating and persisting in sexually explicit conversations with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him, the individual was an undercover officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU).

The investigation, conducted jointly by NEROCU and Northumbria Police’s MOSOVO Safeguarding teams, uncovered that Liddle had previously been subject to a Sex Offender Notification and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both of which he had breached. During the sting, Liddle sent sexually explicit messages and images of himself to the decoy profile, demonstrating a clear intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor. This operation was part of the broader Operation Sentinel, a regional initiative aimed at combating serious and organised crime, particularly online offences against children.

Liddle was arrested in April 2024. He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on 10 June 2024, where he pleaded guilty to all charges, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to sexual activity, sending photographs or films of genitals to a child, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and breaching Sex Offender Notification Requirements. On 11 August 2024, he was sentenced by a judge to five years and three months' imprisonment, with an extended licence period of two years and nine months to follow.

Detective Constable Lee Robertson, who led aspects of the investigation, commented on the outcome: “This case has resulted in a repeat sexual predator behind bars, and I want to thank all those who worked to ensure this outcome. Liddle thought he could keep offending without consequences but he has learned that our officers will not stop in their pursuit of abusers.” The sentencing underscores the authorities' commitment to safeguarding vulnerable children from online predators, with Northumbria Police and NEROCU vowing to continue such proactive operations.