Paedophile arrested hours after most wanted appeals revealed

The latest collaboration between crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers and SOCA to locate wanted fugitives in Spain has seen early success after the arrest of a wanted paedophile within hours of the new campaign going live [20 October 2011]

Dominic Steven Powell, 48, wanted by South Wales Police and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) to serve a 16 week prison sentence for failing to provide notification of foreign travel as part of his reporting requirement as a Very High Risk Registered Sex Offender, was arrested in Mijas, southern Spain by Guardia Civil today (Thursday 20 October 2011).

In addition he is wanted for prosecution in relation to indecent assaults, offences of sexual activity with a child, attempted rape, making indecent images of children and further offences of failing to comply with police notification requirements.

Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: “Today marks the fifth anniversary of Operation Captura, and nothing could highlight the importance of this campaign more than the arrest of a wanted individual such as this.

“This arrest demonstrates not only the success of the campaign – as Powell was located just hours after his appeal was launched – but also can be seen as a testament to the public, who have shown continued support for this campaign throughout it’s five years.”

This latest arrest brings the total number of those located to 47 out of 65 appeals since Operation Captura launched in October 2006.

Operation Captura is the successful multi-agency campaign which identifies serious criminals believed to be on the run in Spain and wanted by UK law enforcement agencies for crimes committed in the UK.

For those people calling from Spain there is a special freephone Spanish 900 555 111 telephone number which will be answered in the UK by Crimestoppers’ call agents and a translation service is available upon request. People can also pass on information anonymously via the Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111 or online at via the online Giving Information Form.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Kieran Theivam, Media Assistant on 07900 694 904 or Kieran.theivam@crimestoppers-uk.org or Isabel Cross, Head of Campaigns & Communications on 07867 970 749 or email Isabel.cross@crimestoppers-uk.org.

Notes to Editors:

• South Wales Police have been working with the CEOP Centre to encourage members of the public to come forward if they have any information as to Powell’s whereabouts. Powell is also a subject of the CEOP Most Wanted campaign – ceop.police.uk/wanted – where members of the public can view photos and descrip!ions of individuals wanted for child sexual offences and can click through to the Crimestoppers website to offer information.
• The initiative to publish details of some of the UK's most high risk child sexual offenders forms a key element of the CEOP Centre's approach to tracking and bringing child sex offenders to account. All individuals published on the site are sought because they have subsequently failed to fulfil their requirements as part of their placement on the Sex Offenders Register.
• Crimestoppers is an independent charity which helps the police to solve crimes, making communities safer. It does this by operating the 24/7 telephone number 0800 555 111 which people can ring to pass on information about crimes anonymously. They can also use our ‘giving information’ form via our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org
• Around 23 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.
  Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 108,000 arrests and charges. Over £115 million worth of goods has been recovered and over £213 million worth of drugs has been seized.
• In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the UK’s Most Wanted on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts. It has been highly successful with over 1,000 arrests to date.
• Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Chairman of Trustees. In 1988, he launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area. Crimestoppers’ ‘call to action’ is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media.