A suspected child sex offender has been extradited to Canada after police found him in Kent.

IT specialist John Cox, 34, was arrested in Ashford.

The Canadian national had been accused of nine child sex offences and was due to stand trial in Saanich, Canada.

He faced charges including grooming and possession of indecent images of children, and firearms offences.

It is claimed Cox used the names Sean Pulsen and Jean Guillaume and used IT software and encryption to disguise his identity, but today he was back in the custody of Saanich Police.

Detective Inspector Matthew Long said: "Public protection is Kent Police's priority.

"Officers worked swiftly in order to ensure this man did not pose any risk within our community.

"I am pleased he has now been extradited back to Canada where he will face the charges put to him."

Officers from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre tracked Cox's movements to Kent .

Kent Police's Public Protection Crime Unit and specialist Public Protection Officers then carried out local enquiries to secure an international arrest warrant.

Kent officers swooped on May 5. The suspect was held in custody and transferred to the Met's Police Extradition Unit, who arranged his return to Canada .

Detective Inspector Jon Holl, from South Kent Public Protection Unit, praised the effectiveness of working relationships between agencies and the quality of his staff.

He said: "This is a practical example of the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies from local to international level working together.

"I am immensely proud of my highly motivated and specialist team of investigators, often working invisibly to the general public to protect our children."