Met Police officer who snared three of London’s most dangerous child abusers wins top award

A Metropolitan Police officer has been named national Detective of the Year for snaring some of London’s most dangerous paedophiles.

Detective Constable Jayne Jones, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team based in Holborn, was recognised for “outstanding work” on three recent cases.

In one, Anthony Fowler, 74, of Archway, subjected two young boys aged six and 10 to “abhorrent” sexual abuse in the 1990s.

He was jailed for 21 years after one victim came forward three decades later, during which time he had suffered flashbacks, suicide attempts and continued wetting his bed.

DC Jones investigated the most “harrowing crimes imaginable” but colleagues describe her as “deeply respected and admired”, the Police Federation said at its annual conference in Birmingham.

She said: “Winning Detective of the Year shows appreciation for the hard work I’ve put in, I guess. I am part of a great team – it is not just me. But it means that we have made a difference to someone’s life, which is very important. And if you work hard and put people first, it is nice to be recognised.”

But the work can take its toll, DC Jones revealed, exposing officers daily to the darkest parts of human behaviour and often involves long, emotionally charged cases and distressing material.