New anti-grooming law set to protect North East kids

Long-awaited plans to outlaw grooming of children in England and Wales will give North East police forces new powers to stop abusers in their tracks.

From today it becomes an offence for adults to groom children by sending them sexual messages.

The law has been on the statute books for over two years following a campaign by the NSPCC, but police have been unable to arrest paedophiles and groomers for sending these revolting sexual messages to children as the offence was not in force.

The NSPCC estimates that police could have recorded as many as 4,000 offences in the last two years if the law had been in force. A similar law already in place in Scotland has led to over 1,500 offences recorded in five years alone.

The Government estimates there could now be 170 prosecutions for the new offence in England and Wales in the first year alone.

NSPCC CEO Peter Wanless said:

"We thank the Justice Secretary for doing the right thing. This is a victory for the 50,000 people who supported the NSPCC's Flaw in the Law campaign. It is a victory for common sense.

“Children should be as safe online as they are offline, wherever they are in the UK. This law will give police in England and Wales the powers they need to protect children from online grooming, and to intervene sooner to stop abuse before it starts."

For help and advice visit: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/grooming/