so we've had some worries about some children and young people being out, 15-year-olds being in a punter's car. street sex workers are helping the police and children's charity barnardo's to catch serious sex offenders. he talks about raping kids in thailand. what does he look like? ginger. longish hair. beard. operation night light started during covid and is proving a success... if you gave me your number, and i seen a kid out of here that was underage, i would want you to know. ..identifying young people at risk of exploitation.

he kept saying he was going to take me home, but he just kept going in a different direction. i was getting scared at that point. for the women involved, they're empowered to help their friends and the children at risk. it's a horrible thing to go through, but... ..if you think there's a chance that you're walking away and leaving a child in that position, you've got to find out. the police are also targeting the men who are on the prowl... can you pull over up here? both: police. ..hunting them down and stopping them in their tracks. hey! stop! police! we're on the front line with the sex detectives. these are the women that were seen out last shift. quite a lot of those are real regulars at the moment, so it's worth kind of trying

to get your eye in a little bit with them. it's 7pm on a monday evening, and we're heading out with the night light and op boss teams from avon and somerset police. these two, they are both 15. they're regular mispers. and i think both were intoxicated when we met them. night light was set up in 2020 to help prevent young people at risk of sexual exploitation as well as safeguarding vulnerable women who work on the streets. there's also been a comment made by one of the other sex workers about her being picked up in a van and raped by four people. um, there's all sorts of things happening to her, and she's not speaking to the police about it. um, i think, jo, you're going to attempt to have a bit of a go from a non-police angle, aren't you? jo ritchie is a social worker employed by the children's charity barnardo's. it was her idea to talk to the street sex workers about the things they see and hear when nobody else is around. so, there was one woman in particular that i spoke to, and it was as if she was part of the police investigation. she knew everything.

but she said, "but what can i do? "i'm just a sex worker." and that really struck me. i really felt, actually, "do you know what? "we could really do with your help. the guy who was... the project works with the women, gaining their trust so they can share vital safeguarding information. so, men of concern, for anyone that wasn't here last week, bleep is in prison, which is lovely news. yeah. night light runs alongside op boss, which has been going for 15 years in bristol. rose brown is a sex work liaison officer. we go out, about ten police officers in plain clothes, and we primarily take the nordic approach. so we look to safeguard the women and disrupt the men who are coming into the area to purchase sex. it also focuses on targeting some of the city's most dangerous offenders. the intel about him this week has been coming in thick and fast about him with almost every sex worker we know. all of the women need to be shown his photo

if they haven't already. once the teams are briefed, they get ready to head out for the night. it looks like she might have just got picked up by a man on a bike. yeah, received. we'll go straight up fishponds road then and drive past them in the same direction. we're following the teams over several months and spending the first shift with officers siggi and jordan from op boss. not long after we leave the police station, we're alerted to a man seen heading into the bushes with a known sex worker. it looks like they're walking into the green area at the end of that road. in keeping with the project, the officers speak to the sex worker and then she's free to go, instead targeting the man. just for an update, a sexual service has been agreed, um, but then the male's changed his mind, so we're going to be issuing a cpw to this bill. that's a community protection warning for antisocial behaviour. if you come back

into the district and then engage with females again... yeah. ..then we will have to deal with it more robustly, ok? ok. um, i've written, in terms of actions and behaviours seen, "interacting with a known street sex worker "in the red light area and walking in company with her "to a local park," which is this green space. um, if you don't breach this, uh, there won't be any more issues. it will be uploaded. it's in place for 12 months. ok. and there's one condition... yeah. ..which is not to enter the area on the attached map. it's clear this guy is pretty shaken by what's happened. afterwards, he agrees to talk and is adamant he didn't know the woman was a sex worker. you weren't planning to... no, no, ..have any sexual activity with her? no, no. when she come round here saying a tell me say, "she do business." me say, "me not doing any business." is bush. me say, "me not going in a no bush. "where you a carry me in a bush go do? fi kill me? me say, "me turning back." just like that. were you surprised when the police arrived? yeah. frightened. scared.

say, "what is this?" why did you feel frightened? i wonder what am i done. cos me see say it is the police. do you think it will put you off from talking to women now if they are potentially working as sex workers? yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. this is just the beginning of the night. not long after, another call comes through. so we are now going to, um, what's most likely a pick-up. male has interacted with sex worker, parked his car, and then followed the sex worker down an alley, which we know is used for, um, sex work services. but by the time we get there, the man has scarpered. has the male gone that way? i did hear some crashing in the bushes just before we found her. oh, he must have legged it. i would imagine

up the cycle track. failure to find him means they hope to catch up with him later. we've lost him, but we have still got his car, so he's going to have to come back for that at some point. the plan is to withdraw now, um, and keep cctv on the car to see if he returns. their memory recall was phenomenal. the amount of things they tell us, like registration numbers and really amazing descriptions. like, one of them yesterday, she was, she disclosed a really nasty assault, and she remembered part of the registration plate. jo and rose often work together and have spent time getting to know and building the trust of the women working on the streets. there's also been a massive increase in them sharing about their own experiences of being sexually assaulted. and i think probably it's cos it's consistent faces going out and they've... ..learnt to trust the team. yeah. and they trust the team and what we're doing with the information. and that we'll keep it anonymous. this project's really helped

to break down those barriers. and it isn't rocket science. it's just investing that time in building those relationships with the women. in 2024, the night light team had 124 conversations with street sex workers who've made 65 reports about dangerous men, and highlighted around 20 young people at risk of exploitation. we're speaking to all of the women who are out tonight. are you all right, though? is there anything you need? do you want anything, hon? no? um, you haven't had any worries about any young people out, have you? we've... if i'd seen any young ones out here, i would tell you, cos when i was 14, i was out here, and i shouldn't have been out. i was underage, and it shouldn't have happened. and that's why i would want to save a child's life. you know what i mean? yeah, well, you were just a kid, weren't you? you wouldn't have had a clue about... shouldn't have been out here. yeah, yeah. so underage it wasn't even a joke, you know what i mean? yeah. why don't give me your number? yeah, yeah. and i seen a kid out of here that was underage, i would want you to know,

because i know, like, that's something that i wouldn't want to see. 16 children and young people have been safeguarded as a direct result of night light in the last 12 months. thank you so much. one of the women who's been key in night light's success is anna. that's not her real name. she worked on the streets in bristol for a long time. for her, when it comes to children, there's no question about what to do. so what was it that you were concerned about? his daughter. his eight-year-old daughter. and i was right to be on that occasion. you know, that was, um, that was really unpleasant. so what, if you don't mind saying a bit about what did you find out? well, i had to pretend to be his daughter, and, um, i mean, he was raping her on a regular basis. she was eight years old. oh, my god. and, um... and the only way i could get more information was to pretend i wasn't at all shocked. once you were sure, you then

thought you've got to report this to...? oh, yeah, that was the only reason i was carrying on with it. yeah. i wouldn't have even been there. i would have walked away cos it was bleep sickening, to be honest. it really was nasty. i mean, it's a horrible thing to go through, but... ..if you think there's a chance that you're walking away and leaving a child in that position, you've got to stay. you've got to find out. and if you're wrong, then, and you report it too soon and you are wrong, then you've not only ripped his life apart, his whole family's life apart. i mean, he's got a wife, he's got a job. he's got, you know? do you know what's happened to him now? oh, he's in prison. he has gone to prison? i went to court on that one. the way anna feels about protecting children is a sentiment felt by a lot of the women. time and time again, we hear them say, "i wish this had been running when i was a kid "cos perhaps i wouldn't be out here now." and i think they're probably the most passionate advocates.

you know, they really don't want to see children on the street. can we get a unit to block in this chap? back with jordan and siggi from op boss... he's a runner as well. now we know, so. ..and they've caught up with the guy who did a runner earlier, but has now come back for his car. sir, you need to come into our car. we're going to give you a warning, all right? i did go out for a walk, to be honest. ok. i didn't go with her. with respect, it was quite a fast walk cos the male legged it the moment we arrived. um, mate, we're going to find out either way. have you been through this process before with us? i think so, because i've been stopped by you before for speeding. not for that. it turns out this isn't the first time he's been caught with a sex worker either. it wasn't for speeding. it was for picking up a sex worker. and it was on warwick road as well, which is where we are now. on this road? yes. we're, um, putting a flag on you as well, mate,

on our system. and there will be now a flag on your vehicle as well. um... well, as long as they don't stop me all the time on the road, that's fine. possibly. they possibly will cos we're going to be putting a flag on it now because of your behaviour. if men continue to be caught, they can face criminal action. since op boss started, more than 1,000 men have been sent on a course to prevent reoffending and learn about the women's vulnerabilities. the police say the men caught broadly represent the demographic of bristol. after this guy's dealt with, they're quickly back on the road and alerted to another job... yankee, juliet... ..with a driver going in circles around the area quite a few times. white audi or bmw. they follow him until there's a good chance to stop. just going to follow at a distance. see if he loops back round. this vehicle's still circling round sort of... ..stapleton, warwick. we're still behind it.

blows horn can you pull over up here? both: police! this driver is also issued with a community protection warning banning him from the area for 12 months. in an 18-month period, 145 offences have been dealt with by the op boss team from avon and somerset police. during the covid lockdowns, there were concerns about young people hanging round in the area where sex is bought and sold. since 2020, 617 children and young people have been referred to the barnardo's against child exploitation service in bristol and south gloucestershire. sinitta watkins is the charity's children's service manager. we're acutely aware that most services close around 5pm, 6pm,

but harm for children continues post that. and what we've realised is that there are people in our community that often are undervalued that are able to help us safeguard children. and night light has been a wonderful example of how street sex workers have worked really closely with us to identify children, to help us respond to the safety that they need, and to recognise risk that's happening in relation to exploitation, harm, and violence towards women. and why is it that young people would find themselves in this part of bristol where there is a high prevalence of street sex work? it's a really complex landscape in terms of why children end up having a push from their family homes. homes should be a place of safety, but for a lot of children within our city, their homes are not. there is a real need for them to exit their family home. there may not be enough food, warmth. there may be abuse within the family home. and night light is a unique and innovative way of recognising that, if we want to safeguard children

to different risks, we need to act in a different way. one of the young people identified at risk of sexual exploitation by night light is yas, whose identity we're protecting. she's 19 now, and used to hang around on the streets when she was underage, and had various men approaching her. they would, like, ask me if i want to go to their place and if i want any drink, or like they would offer me...balloons. and then i just thought they just wanted to have fun in the innocent way. but, um, i've realised that they was probably asking me to go back so that i would have sex with them. did any of them ever ask you that directly? um...yeah, i think so. and, like, how does that make you feel now kind of thinking back on, on that? really creeped out, actually,

and just, like, scared for other people, other young people. yas would sometimes accept lifts from men, and says she once ended up in a really dangerous position, alone in a car. i was saying that i wanted to go home, like, can they take me home? but he just kept going different, in a different direction, and i was getting scared at that point. i was like... "i just want to go home." eventually, yas got out of the situation and says she no longer hangs around on the streets at night. she's since been supported by the night light team to understand the risks of sexual exploitation. maybe on to the other side? no? no. the only other place

is under the other side. months later, we're back out with siggi and jordan... where's the other unit? right, i'll go up in the grass a bit. ..who've been alerted to a man seen heading into the bushes known as a regular spot for sex workers. hey! stop! police! i'm in company in the bush a bit where they usually are. hello. i'm police. all right? are you, eh? yeah. are you happy to come with me? yeah, yeah. what were you doing with the girl? i don't know. i can't remember. can't remember? no. ok. i'm a bit alarmed. unlike some other cases, he doesn't do a runner and quite quickly accepts that he's in the wrong. a bit naive, like, i didn't really realise there was an issue. like, yeah... ok. caught red-handed i guess. but, yeah, i didn't realise it was an issue. yeah, yeah. so i feel

a bit shocked, mate. i can understand that. he's also banned from the area for 12 months. but it's not always single men on the prowl, as a call comes through about a group of three students. so what the camera's looking into the first car on the right. it should have its lights on. it's a mercedes suv. yes, ma'am. hello. do you mind opening the window? so what happened? what happened? she came and, uh, she said, "i want to suck." so we stopped you because you were seen in the red light district of the city, and you were seen in company with a sex worker. we don't know. yeah, yeah, we don't know. we don't know about any sex work. you do, because she approached your car and ask you to suck, as you said yourself. is anyone else in the back of the car? no, no. see anything. so why did she get back in your car?

no, no, he... firstly, we are staying here. one of them had agreed to sexual services, so he's now being interviewed at the back of the car, and he'll probably receive a conditional caution. the two other males in the car, they actually was encouraging their friends to engage with the sex worker and sexual services. so they've been given a cpw. they're relatively young. i mean, they're over 18, but they're students, i think. is that typical? i think we see like all sorts of people, all ages. but, yeah, actually quite a few young students. it's a bit of a trek, though. yeah. do you know where the dpr is? jo and rose now know a lot of the women working on the streets, and, over time, have built their trust so they feel safe sharing information. any worries about any kids recently? no, i haven't seen, like, any that i think's like underage ones. cos you... there was one that you mentioned last week that you were saying in the day

you'd seen her. have you seen her recently? no. no. can you remember anything of what she looked like? cos it was all a bit rushed last week. she was about, like, a bit shorter than me. ok. the relationship between street sex workers and the police has been difficult in the past. how do you think it's changed since night light has been introduced? although there are still barriers, i think our relationship has really come on leaps and bounds with night light. the consistent approach of myself and jo, or a very small team going out and talking to the women. hi sweetheart. it's jo. do you want a drink? a coat? and rose. them getting to know me in plain clothes, what my role is, and not necessarily even seeing me as a police officer in a traditional sense. and we've also had info that they've been robbing the girls and beating them up. have they hurt you at all, hon? yep. another of the women who's been key in helping with a recent case,

we're calling megan. again, we're not showing her face to protect her. he was telling me that he used to come down quite often because he was actually engaging with sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. um, yeah, which concerned me a lot. so i alerted them straight away, and turns out i was right. something told me i had to say something, and... and it sounds like the fact that it was about underage girls is what made you feel really uncomfortable, and, like, "i need to do something." yeah. i mean, i'm 34 years old, and these streets are scary. they're dark, they're lonely, they're fierce. and for underage women, like, just so young, children, you know, to maybe be going through whatever they're going through, wherever they are, i can't bear to imagine, you know? so, yeah, just the underage thing in itself is, is something that i really feel strongly about.

new stadium road. i'm just coming back out after spinning round. radio chatter back with the op boss team, a man is seen picking up a sex worker, so jordan and siggi follow them to a caravan nearby. i'm going to give them a couple of minutes to, um, potentially begin the sexual service and get paid, and then we're going to knock on the door, um, and see what we've got. essentially, we don't have legal powers to enter the caravan because it's a summary only offence. so, although we know he's in there, we don't have legal power to force entry if he refuses us entry. can you open the door, please? this is the police. hey? you all right? hello. you're police? you all right? hello, mate. yeah. you all right? all right if we have a quick chat? sorry? is it ok if we have a quick chat? no. yeah? don't speak english.

you don't speak english. what language do you speak? arabic. we need to speak to you. arabic. yeah, yeah, we can get an interpreter. do you have a driving licence or any id on you? no. a photo of passport on your phone? they do some checks on the car he was driving. only one driver, yeah? so, um, we're unfortunately going to have to seize the vehicle. there's been some traffic offences that have come up because we've seen him driving a car. he's got no licence, he's got no insurance, and it's not his car either. there's, uh, just something that my colleagues need to say. ok, so, at the moment, you are under arrest, ok? for breaching... and there's a further twist. turns out he's actually in the country illegally. interpreter, could you just explain that, um, he's now got the right to a lawyer, so it's best not to say anything at this stage about the immigration offence?

he has overstayed and has breached the deportation notice. so he's got some immigration offences as well from algeria. and how common is it, other offences come out in the process of intervening? yeah, very often, to be honest. um, essentially, we have to do the regular checks on the people, the dates of birth, and the vehicles, and all that. and, um, i would say probably 50-50 there's other offences that arise. um, it's not ideal cos obviously we're, you know, we're here to really safeguard the women. but when we get tied up with other offences, um, they can't be overlooked at that stage. the work between op boss and night light is proving such a success in bristol that other parts of the country are now looking to roll it out and help safeguard other young people. did anyone ever try and approach you? yeah. we were out because we didn't want to be home as we thought being out at night was safer than being at home. paige was 15 when she was

spotted hanging around the area with her sister, because home wasn't a safe place. that's not her real name, and we've taken steps to protect her identity. she was approached by several men and identified as being at risk of sexual exploitation. how did you feel when night light team approached you? i was worried that my mum would shout at me if the police got in contact with her about seeing me out. i don't go out at night any more, and jo has been amazing support into moving me away from home. i'm in a foster home, um, where i feel safer than i did at home. paige is keen to encourage other young people to get support through the night light team. i'd just say let them help you cos it's the best thing that can be done for you. um... ..and it will open your eyes a lot to the dangers and the people in the area.

that's one of the key things about night light, i guess. the children that they are pointing us towards are probably some of the highest risk children, but yet they're often really hidden. and it's the women working on the streets who are proving vital eyes and ears for what's happening after dark in bristol. oh, they are so incredible. i think so often, society completely demonises them and misconstrues them, and actually, we couldn't do night light without them. we are totally dependent on them in terms of the information they give is incredible. because of them, there have been so many children that will have been prevented from being harmed because of information they've shared. the man megan reported is now being investigated, and several young people have been safeguarded as a direct result of her determination to help protect children. proud. very, very proud. i mean, my day-to-day lifestyle is

troubling and exhausting and, you know, very miserable. and to just have that little bit of, like, positivity, like, brought to my attention of something that i've achieved, like, and done personally, it's great.

live from washington, this is bbc news. pakistan says it's carrying out retaliatory air strikes against india, releasing this video of missile launches. it follows indian strikes on pakistan as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed countries over the disputed region of kashmir. the newly elected pope leo xiv leads his first mass for cardinals at the vatican. he calls the church "a beacon to illuminate dark nights". hello.

i'm carl nasman.