IWF warns possessing indecent images of children is ‘always a crime’ after senior Police officer is convicted

Published:  Wed 20 Nov 2019

People are being warned to report child sexual abuse directly to the IWF after a senior Metropolitan Police officer was convicted of possessing an indecent image of a child.

The Internet Watch Foundation, a charity which works to remove online child sexual abuse, is calling for people to report videos and images anonymously and safely to their hotline, warning that possessing indecent images of children, no matter what the intention, is a crime.

Novlett Robyn Williams, 54, was yesterday (Tuesday) found guilty of possessing an indecent image of a child, but not guilty of corruption.

It was reported that The Old Bailey heard Williams’ sister had received a video from her partner and passed it on to a group including Williams in the hopes of alerting her to the abuse and prompting action.

Williams had denied the charges but was convicted of possessing the video.

Susie Hargreaves OBE, IWF CEO said: “This is a salutary reminder of what people should do in these situations if they stumble across images or videos of child sexual abuse.

“No matter who you are, possessing indecent images of children is a criminal offence.

“People need to know the right way to take action when they see something online that needs to be removed.

“If you ever see something like this on the internet, please report it to the police and the IWF to ensure that the content is traced and removed.

“This is safe and anonymous, and is the right way to do the right thing.”

Williams is due to be sentenced on November 26.

Criminal content of online child sexual abuse can be reported anonymously here. The IWF’s trained team of analysts work to eradicate this content from the internet.

The IWF welcomes clear direction from Government on online safety efforts

The IWF welcomes clear direction from Government on online safety efforts

The UK sets online safety priorities, urging Ofcom to act fast on child protection, child sexual abuse material, and safety-by-design rules.

9 May 2025 News
IWF 2024 Annual Data & Insights Report Launch

IWF 2024 Annual Data & Insights Report Launch

Event hosted by Mastercard emphasises the importance of collaboration and introduces new tool 'Image Intercept'.

8 May 2025 News
Power partnership boosts fight to stop spread of child sexual abuse imagery online

Power partnership boosts fight to stop spread of child sexual abuse imagery online

DoubleVerify partners with the IWF to proactively disrupt the spread of child sexual abuse material.

8 May 2025 News