Parents warned of vile online sex clip sweeping schools
‘It went round like wildfire’
SECONDARY school parents were yesterday warned over an obscene video of two children that has spread like wildfire on social media.
Police have asked Instagram and Snapchat to take down the revolting images but as soon as they are removed other users repost them using smartphone apps.
Schools in Berkshire, Suffolk and London have written to families urging them to delete the video, which came to the attention of police in Hampshire on November 30. The letters warn that children could be engaging in criminal activity if they watch or share the obscene footage.
On Instagram, trolls opened dozens of fake accounts in the name of the girl featured in the graphic material, which would quickly draw thousands of followers. The youngsters in the footage are being treated as victims, official sources say, and police have charged a 25-year-old man.
Liz Cook, head of Easthampstead Park Community School in Bracknell, Berkshire, told parents: ‘It has been brought to our attention that a particularly unpleasant video has been sent to a number of students in the Bracknell area via social media.
‘It appears to show graphic pornographic images of underage children committing indecent acts. The children shown are not members of the school.
‘If your child receives this video or any other film of this nature, they should inform their parents or a member of the raising standards team immediately. It is highly likely that any students who have seen this video might be distressed so we thought it important to inform you.’
The video has been seen by pupils at Orleans Park in Twickenham, south-west London.
Christine Hart, who has a 13year- old child at the secondary school, said: ‘My son made me aware of a sexually-explicit video that was being passed around by the kids at school. At first I didn’t believe him as I thought if there was something like this online it would have been taken down immediately.
‘The assistant head teacher told me they had heard rumours of such a video but didn’t know the details. They then went to the police. We were sent a letter about it. According to my son, the video went around the school like wildfire.’
A spokesman for the NSPCC said the availability of sexual abuse images online was a growing issue. They added: ‘ It is extremely concerning that in this case this sickening material has seemingly been viewed by children and young people and circulated between them on social media.’
A police spokesman said last night: ‘Officers from the child abuse investigation team at Hampshire Constabulary have charged a man in connection with an investigation into sexual offences committed online.’