Sunday, 15th September 2019

A UK sex offender has been arrested for sexually abusing children overseas after a BBC investigation discovered he was working as a preacher in a Roma community in Bulgaria. 

Daniel Erickson-Hull was located by BBC Radio 4’s File on 4 programme in a special investigation into the exploitation of children overseas by UK sex offenders. According to media reports, Erickson-Hull had breached court orders preventing him from being alone with children and requiring him to notify UK authorities of foreign travel.

ECPAT UK has monitored transnational child exploitation and advocated for the protection of children over the last 25 years. Our Director of Programmes, Debbie Beadle, was interviewed for the programme.

Today, responding to Erickson-Hull’s arrest, she said:

'It is deeply concerning that a known child abuser in the UK has been able to abuse children in another country.

‘This case highlights the need for greater international cooperation and information sharing to prevent this from happening.

‘We’re letting down some of the world’s most vulnerable children by enabling abusers to operate with impunity.

‘The UK’s response to these crimes must be urgently improved by developing partnerships with authorities in other countries to create an environment in which children are protected and offenders cannot operate.’

ENDS

Press contacts

Debbie Beadle, Director of Programmes, ECPAT UK, [email protected], 0207 607 2136

Sinead Geoghegan, Communications and Media Manager, [email protected], 0207 607 2136