ALMOST 80 people, including seven Scots, have been arrested in dawn raids as part of an operation targeting suspected internet paedophiles.

Officers from Strathclyde Police and Lothian and Borders Police joined other UK forces to execute more than 143 search warrants – resulting in the arrest of suspects including a Scout leader, a firefighter and a retired teacher.

The 48-hour Operation Tharsley was led by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop), which said some 80 children were "safeguarded" following the raids.

Three men, aged 29, 53 and 22, were arrested and charged by Strathclyde Police in connection with indecent images and a further three, two aged 34 and one aged 29, were charged by officers from Lothian and Borders.

A 43-year-old from the north of Edinburgh was also charged with communicating indecently with a child aged between 13 and 15 and a 22-year-old, from Livingston, was detained and questioned over indecent images but released pending inquiries.

Equipment, including computers and recordable media devices were also seized from other properties in Edinburgh for further examination.

Andy Bafer, deputy chief executive of Ceop, said: "It is clear those who possess indecent images also pose a significant risk to children and understanding and managing that risk is not an easy undertaking.

"But when we bring together the latest intelligence picture, nationally co-ordinated police action and operational support from our colleagues in Soca [Serious Organised Crime Agency] we are making the UK a more hostile place for those who are seeking to exploit our children.

"If offenders think collecting child abuse images is something they can get away with, they need to think again.

"These arrests show once again how law enforcement is becoming increasingly co-ordinated, sophisticated and innovative in targeting those who commit these crimes."

Ceop said the majority of the arrests across the UK related to image offences, including the possession and distribution of indecent pictures of children.

Others arrested include a referee, armed service personnel, government employees and a computer programmer.

Known offenders who had breached conditions of the sex offenders register were among the 78 people arrested in the raids on June 12 and 13. That number could increase as Ceop wait for reports from two more forces.

The arrests came as the organisation published a report warning anyone caught downloading child abuse images poses a risk of committing physical sex attacks on children.

The report said that one analysis showed 55% of paedophiles who possess indecent images also commit sexual offences against children.

Kate Fisher, a principal analyst at Ceop, said: "The images being downloaded are becoming more extreme, sadistic and violent, and feature increasingly younger children."

Ceop urged police to prioritise the investigation of anyone caught with child abuse images who has easy access to children.