A 32-year-old Albanian man arrested in Birmingham, suspected of leaving his children alone to meet a 14-year-old girl he had met online

A 32-year-old Albanian national has been arrested in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, on suspicion of leaving his two young children home alone in order to go to a meeting with a girl he believed to be 14 years old and with whom he had communicated online.

British media report that the arrested man, identified as Ardjan, was detained by West Midlands Police following an operation carried out with the support of groups involved in identifying people suspected of sexually grooming minors online.

According to the authorities, the 32-year-old is suspected of having left his two children alone in the apartment, aged one and six. Reports also say that the home where the minors were found appeared to be in unsuitable hygienic conditions.

Preliminary investigation data suggest that he was on his way to meet a girl whom he believed to be 14 years old, following contact they had through social media. He faces serious charges, including arranging sexual activity, among them allegations of attempting to organize a threesome.

In footage released from the arrest, the suspect appears to be resisting police officers, while officers can be heard asking passersby to stay back during the intervention.

The case has sparked reactions in the United Kingdom and has brought renewed attention to debates over children’s safety online, the phenomenon of grooming, and parental responsibility.