A CONVICTED child sex images offender sent pictures of his young son to another paedophile, an investigation has revealed.

The father was supposed to be living apart from his six-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter at the time, a child safeguarding review found.

Police later raided the East Lancashire family's home and were that concerned at how poor the living conditions were, that the children's mother was charged with child neglect.

In a review, by senior care official Paul Sharkey, it was reported  the father was later jailed for sexual offences against children - and breaching a sexual harm prevention order from when he was first convicted in 2014.

The mother was given community orders, including rehabilitation requirements, for the child neglect matters, said Mr Sharkey.

His inquiry into what led up to the offences involving the two children, who are now both in care and cannot be named for legal reasons, has led to a series of recommendations for police and social services to follow up.

The father had been under the supervision of an officer from Lancashire Police's MOSOVO (Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders) team following his 2014 conviction, Mr Sharkey reported, with the children being kept under review. But this lapsed when the parents separated.

But later child protection plans were enforced after it was discovered the mother had sent pictures of her breastfeeding their son, and there were concerns about the older child's schooling.

In April 2017 a decision was taken to 'step down' supervision of the children and it was felt the mother could adequately protect the children from risks of abuse.

Meanwhile the father, still being monitored by the MOSOVO team, had been treated for anxiety and depression.

However checks of his phone in late 2019 did not reveal any indecent images being present. He had also undertaken an internet sex offenders course in 2018 which disclosed he was at a 'medium risk' of reoffending.

Police began investigating a third party in May 2020, which led them to indecent images of the father's young son and his later arrest.

Mr Sharkey's review came up with 10 separate 'lessons' for social services, police, probation and other agencies to implement to prevent a repeat of the children's experiences.

He said, on the father's probation supervision, in the report: "Regarding the NPS (National Probation Service), the risk assessment and management of (the father) fell short of national standards and was ineffective in safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of the children.

"There was a lack of an investigative approach, insufficient professional curiosity, too much reliance on (the father's) self reporting, an over focus on his internet activity, a lack of a more holistic and dynamic approach to risk, no unannounced home visits, a lack of liaison with the Police, MOSOVO, and school, no triangulation with family visits and inattention to the children’s safeguarding needs."

And on the police supervision, he added: "The MOSOVO team’s practice in regard to risk assessment and management of (the father) did not effectively safeguard the children and promote their wellbeing.

"There was an overly narrow focus on internet related issues (e.g checking the mobile phone for indecent images of children) and a failure to think more widely about risk to the children who were not seen as part of the assessment.

"(The father's) situation should have been seen within a wider dynamic risk framework involving, not just risk around indecent images and the internet, but risk to his children, given what he was saying and all of the then known factors.

"Consideration could have been given to seeing the children and eliciting their views after the ending of the child protection plans.

"There was a lack of professional curiosity, little evidence of an investigative mindset, minimal liaison with other agencies and apparent shortcomings with line management oversight and scrutiny."

The Chief Constable and National Probation Service north west chief officer are required, within six months of the review, to provide assurances that Mr Sharkey's recommendations have been addressed.