In a swift operation, Metropolitan Police officers acted on information provided by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to safeguard children and apprehend a Hackney man. Adam Shine was arrested at his residence on Digby Road, Hackney, on February 6.
The NCA’s intelligence linked Shine to indecent images of children, prompting a thorough investigation by the Met’s Online Child Sex Abuse Investigation Team. During their review, officers discovered that Shine had engaged in three separate video calls on the Omegle website with two 11-year-old girls and an 8-year-old girl in April 2023. In each call, Shine engaged in sexual acts on camera and encouraged the young victims to do the same.
Using clues from the recorded videos, Met officers successfully located and safeguarded an 11-year-old child in the UK. In addition to his custodial sentence, Shine received an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He is also required to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely, ensuring continued protection for other children once he completes his prison term.
Despite extensive efforts, two other children believed to be in the United States remain unidentified due to limited information provided by the now-defunct Omegle platform (which shut down in November 2023). Authorities have shared relevant details with American counterparts.
The public is urged to report any similar offences by calling 101 or using the online reporting system. For those who wish to remain anonymous, the independent charity Crimestoppers provides a confidential avenue for information.
Shine, who worked at an adult store in central London, pleaded guilty on March 3 at the Old Bailey to engaging in sexual communications with the three children and causing them to engage in sexual activity. Although he did not meet the victims in person, he was sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment on June 14.
