‘This interview is being recorded. I’m Detective Inspector Sasha Dawson. Also present is Detective Constable Craig Power. Please state your full name and address and date of birth.’ When Paul had done that, she confirmed the date and time. ‘At the conclusion of the interview, I’ll give you a form that will explain the procedure for dealing with this recording and how you can access it. You’re being interviewed under caution, Paul. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

Paul squirmed in the chair. Always a slight figure, he looked even more diminished. His face was a sickly green. Sasha took from the folder the copies of the images of Sammi Manning.

‘I’m showing Mr Ferdinand the photographs of Sammi Manning found on her computer. Did you take them, Paul, were you the photographer?’ She neatly lined up the images in front of him and he nodded. ‘Out loud, please.’

‘Yes I did,’ he croaked. ‘And I will never forgive myself.’

‘Your house is being searched. We’ll be looking on all your devices.’ She checked her notes. ‘You have a tablet and a smartphone, a desktop computer, and also a couple of digital cameras, is that correct? So what else will we find on those devices? More of the same? Other indecent images of children, hard-core stuff, perhaps?’

‘There’ll be… other photos of…’ He pressed a hand hard against his chest. ‘Yes, there are others.’

‘How many?’

‘I can’t remember, exactly.’ He closed his eyes. ‘Dozens, perhaps more.’

Craig leaned forward. ‘Of Sammi?’

‘There are other girls too.’

‘Taken by you?’

‘No.’ Paul’s hands trembled violently. ‘Those were the only ones I took… but there are other images, yes.’

‘And where did you get those, Paul?’

‘Someone I know online. Someone with… similar interests.’

Sasha gathered up the photos. ‘Go on.’

‘We discuss things, we have, uh, common interests, and he told me how to go about… taking my own.’

‘And who is this person?’

‘We met in a chat room.’

‘This person told you how to groom a child,’ said Craig shortly, and Sasha gave him a warning glance, calm it down.

Paul looked like he was about to cry. ‘You don’t know how sorry I am.’

‘Did you tell him who you were interested in, Paul?’ asked Sasha. ‘Did you name Sammi or the youth club?’

‘He’s the one who suggested she liked me, he’s the one who said that she was… interested, and he told me how to make the most of my friendship with her. He was very… persuasive.’

‘Friendship.’ Craig’s voice dripped with disgust.

‘You keep saying he, Paul,’ said Sasha. ‘Give us a name.’