'Name and shame' paedophile held

Police have criticised the News of the World campaign

A convicted paedophile who was named in a national newspaper campaign has been arrested on a Spanish island.

Police in Cleveland had been trying to trace Stephen Glen Featherstone for several months and were involved in a lengthy extradition procedure when his photograph was printed in the News of the World on Sunday.

It is my view that our whole operation was endangered by this newspaper

Shane Sellars, Cleveland Police

Officers involved in the investigation said the newspaper's campaign to "name and shame" paedophiles in the wake of the murder of Sussex schoolgirl Sarah Payne had seriously jeopardised their operation.

But the News of the World rejected the criticism saying it was as a direct result of its campaign that Featherstone had been apprehended.

Cleveland police said that following the publication of his photograph Featherstone had realised his cover was blown and made attempts to leave the undisclosed island.

Inspector Shane Sellers, of the force's Child Protection Unit, said: "We knew where Featherstone was and the protracted legal process to get him back to Teesside was on going.

Stephen Featherstone was apprehended on Tuesday as a direct result of our report

News of the World

"It is my view that our whole operation was endangered by this newspaper.

"Featherstone quit his job on Monday and was preparing to flee to a new haven where he would undoubtedly have been a danger to children.

"He could easily have set up a new identity and been free to prey on more victims until the law caught up with him again."

On the run

Featherstone - who called himself by his second name, Glen - had been on the run since being convicted at Teesside Crown Court last November of six counts of indecent assault against two girls aged under 16.

The former swimming instructor from Billingham was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders' register and should have answered bail at the crown court last December for sentencing.

Featherstone had been traced to his overseas hideaway after months of searching when the News of the World published his picture against the wishes of Cleveland Police.

The force said the fugitive had been arrested in a bar and was now being held by the Spanish authorities.

News of the World says it has public support for the campaign

Officers from the force will be going out to escort Featherstone back to Teesside.

In a statement the newspaper said: "The News of the World notes what Cleveland Police have said in relation to our 'For Sarah' campaign.

"However, we must reject that version of events, and, in particular, the claim that the newspaper jeopardised a police operation.

"On the contrary, the fact is that the fugitive Stephen Featherstone, who had been sought since December 1999, was apprehended on Tuesday as a direct result of our report, two days after we published his picture and details.

"We are disappointed by the Cleveland Police account, since in our view it is not borne out by the facts."