Boy, 14, on sex crime list over naked self ie

A BOY of 14 has been put on a police database for sending a naked selfie to a teenage girl on Snapchat.

The boy’s mother accused police of branding her son a paedophile and treating him as ‘worse than a criminal’ after it emerged that details of the incident will remain on record for 100 years.

The civil servant said her son was the victim of a ‘grave injustice’ after the girl humiliated him by sharing the image with his classmates.

Instead of protecting the ‘naive’ youngster from his foolish actions, a teacher bullied him into admitting sending an indecent image, she alleged.

A school-based WPC was summoned and logged details of the incident as a crime because the image was of someone under the age of 18.

Although the promising student was not arrested and faces no charges, his hopes of a career could be blighted as the information could remain on the Police National Database for 100 years, flagging up his involvement in a ‘ child sex crime’ to potential employers.

The girl involved in the ‘sexting’ incident and a second boy will also have their details kept on the database for life.

The boy took the image of himself, naked from the waist down, in his bedroom and sent it via Snapchat, believing it would automatically be deleted within seconds.

But the girl he was trying to impress quickly copied the image and shared it. A friend warned him the next day.

Teaching staff were alerted and the boy was questioned by the assistant head, while the WPC took detailed notes.

It was only after this meeting, during which he admitted everything after the teacher allegedly shouted in his face, that his mother was informed.

Greater Manchester Police ( GMP) discontinued their investigation ‘ in the public interest’ but all the details were entered into the system.

These records could now be revealed to employers under a Disclosure and Barring Service check if he were to seek a job working with children.

The boy’s mother, who lives in Greater Manchester, vowed last night to fight to clear his name. ‘If he was 18 he would have been seen as a victim and would have been able to take some action towards the girl who humiliated him,’ she said.

‘This is a grave injustice – he has been treated worse than a criminal.’

Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, the mother said: ‘At best he was naive and at worst he was just a teenager.’

A GMP spokesman said: ‘The report of crime has been filed, with those involved named and given an outcome of “not in the public interest to prosecute”.

‘ These reports remain in existence f or 100 years in accordance with management of police information.’

‘Treated worse than a criminal’