Ayrshire Post

WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR SHOCK AT 652 SEX CRIMES ON KIDS

Three vile incidents every week

- Gary Fanning

Hundreds of sex crimes have been carried out on children across Ayrshire in the past year, shocking new figures reveal.

A special Post investigat­ion shows that a total of 652 crimes of a sexual nature have taken place on youngsters under the age of 16 across the county between 2014 and 2017.

That’s equivalent to no fewer than three sex crimes on children almost every week.

We can reveal there are 348 people on the sex offenders’ register in Ayrshire as of March 20 this year.

And one in five of the perverts on the register live in Ayr more than any ny another town in Ayrshire. Bill Grant, the he MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock said id he was shocked and dismayed to hear that at so many children have been sexually abused bused in Ayrshire over the last year.

“To parents and/ or guardians s I would ask that they be vigilant in relation lation to their children’s use of social al media platforms and be aware of the very real risk of grooming by devious and d wicked individual­s,” the MP said.

There were 207 crimes of a sexual nature on children in South Ayrshire rshire with 213 in neighbouri­ng East Ayrshire. North Ayrshire had the highest number, with 232 offences es against youngsters.

Hundreds of sex crimes have been carried out on children across Ayrshire in the past year, shocking new figures reveal.

A special Post investigat­ion shows that a total of 652 crimes of a sexual nature have taken place on youngsters under the age of 16 across the county between 2014 and 2017.

That’s equivalent to no fewer than three sex crimes on children almost every day across the area.

Over this period, there were 207 crimes of a sexual nature on children in South Ayrshire.

North Ayrshire is the county’s sexual crime on children capital where 232 offences took place on youngsters.

The figure was slightly lower in East Ayrshire with 213 crimes reported to police.

And we can reveal there are 348 people on the sex offenders’ register in Ayrshire as of March 20 this year.

But in our Freedom of Informatio­n request, police refused to tell us how many were on the register for sex crimes on children.

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Bill Grant said: “I was shocked and dismayed to hear that so many children have been sexually abused in Ayrshire over the last year.

“The figures make for grim reading and

I hope that the police and courts continue to do everything they can to deal with this.

“To parents and/ or guardians I would ask that they b e vigilant in relation to their children’s use of social media platforms and be aware of the very real risk of grooming by devious and wicked individual­s.

“Reducing this level of appalling abuse will take a coordinate­d and concerted effort by the police, parents, schools and organisati­ons right across Ayrshire. We must do all we can to protect children from abuse, and waste no time in taking additional protective measures where we can. I would ask that where you are suspicious of any form of sexual abuse of children that you contact the Police as this can be done in confidence”. Ayr MSP John Scott said: “These are truly shocking figures and the more so because they highlight the extent of crimes taking place against children right here in our community.

“These are among the most traumatic crimes that can take place, and we need far tougher sentences where offences of this nature take place.

“Nothing is more important than parents knowing their children are safe and where crimes like this take place those who commit them need to be subject to the full force of the law.”

South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “These figures revealed by the Ayrshire Post are deeply worrying.

“The scale of abuse will be a real shock to local people. Behind each one of the hundreds of cases are children in Ayrshire who have suffered appalling crimes.

“It shows the sheer scale of the challenge our local agencies face when it comes to child protection and why it is so important that they have the maximum resources needed to protect our children.”

It shows the sheer scale of the challenge our local agencies face Colin Smyth

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