Police in the UK have identified scores of previously unknown paedophiles after seizing more than 100 child-like sex dolls ordered from overseas.
The silicone dolls, which can cost thousands of euros each, are imported into the UK after being purchased by paedophiles on websites such as Amazon, eBay and China’s Alibaba.com.
A significant surge in the number of dolls discovered by British customs officers had led to seven people being charged with their importation.
Of the seven men charged with importing the dolls to date, six also faced allegations linked to the possession of indecent images of children.
Some 123 dolls have been seized in the UK since March last year.
The figures were revealed after a 72-year-old ex-primary school governor was convicted of importing a child sex doll.
David Turner was found guilty after Judge Simon James ruled for the first time that the dolls are indecent or obscene.
During a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court, Turner also admitted to possessing more than 34,000 images of child abuse, 138 were in the most serious category.
Turner will be sentenced on 8 September, when could face up to 14 years behind bars.
Speaking after the ruling, Hazel Stewart, from the UK National Crime Agency Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre’s Specialist Operation Team, said: “The importation of these child sex dolls is a relatively new phenomenon.
“We know their purchase can indicate other offences against children, as was the case against Turner who had a sickening stash of abuse images.
“The NCA and Border Force co-ordinate law enforcement activity, carrying out intelligence checks and offering specialist advice every time these indecent and obscene items are seized at the border.
“Importers of such obscene items should expect to have law enforcement closing in on them.”
He also admitted the possession of indecent images of children and making indecent images of children.
The emergence of a new generation of sex dolls has proved controversial, with some experts arguing they could be used as therapeutic tools to treat paedophiles and other sex offenders.
A report published by the Foundation for Responsible Robotics at the beginning of last month called on governments around the world to ban the sale of sex robots that are designed to look like children, claiming they could encourage paedophiles to physically attack a child.
Professor Noel Sharkey, author of the report, said: “We do need policymakers to look at it and the general public to decide what is acceptable and permissible.
“We need to think as a society what we want to do about it.”
