Crimestoppers statement as questions asked about reward over sex offender’s murder

“We have always offered the public small cash rewards for information coming to us, but in certain circumstances, we make larger rewards available”

Crimestoppers has said that it issues rewards for information in certain cases at the request of the PSNI.

The charity shared this information after public concern that a reward of £20,000 was offered for information to catch the killer of convicted paedophile Sean Small, while other cases, including the serious sexual assault of a teenager in Downpatrick this summer, have not had significant rewards offered.

Following the announcement from the PSNI earlier this week that the reward had been offered for information which would lead to the conviction of Sean Small’s killer, Belfast Live submitted a series of questions to Crimestoppers to determine the processes by which they decide to offer a reward in cases.

Responding to the questions, Mick Duthie, Director of Operations at Crimestoppers, said that requests for reward offers are considered on a case-by-case basis.

“For over 37 years, Crimestoppers has offered the public an alternative route to report crime completely anonymously, safe in the knowledge that their identity will never be known or shared. Our charity’s Contact Centre is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” he said.