The introduction of new software designed to interrogate computers for evidence of child sex abuse has massively speeded up the PC analysis process.

Detectives from the Nottinghamshire Police Sexual Exploitation Investigation Unit began using the Triage Investigator system last year – and it has delivered impressive results.

Its use has seen the conviction of three offenders and the cautioning of another.

Developed in the United States, the software is stored on a memory stick and quickly scans computers for any evidence of indecent images of children.

It also searches for chat logs, email addresses and messages plus web browser searches and desktop files, allowing officers to considerably speed up an investigation.

The software means it can take minutes or hours to examine a computer – a job that could take up to 18 months or more using more traditional methods.

DC Andrew Taylor, from SEIU, said: “The system is faster than anything we’ve used and means sex offenders are being arrested swiftly and cases are going through court more quickly.

“It allows us to identify victims, enabling us to protect anyone who has been abused.”

Among recent successes, a 52-year-old man was arrested after the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) informed Nottinghamshire Police he had been accessing indecent images of children online.

DC Taylor used the Triage Investigator system to scrutinise the man’s PC and the software identified over 100,000 indecent images and video clips of children within six hours.

He pleaded guilty to possessing the indecent images and received a three year community order and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.

A 45-year-old Nottingham man was also arrested by police in June following another tip off from CEOP. The high-tech system found nearly 800 indecent images of children on his computer, some of which were of Level Four in seriousness.

He pleaded guilty and was given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years.