Shocking rise in rate of online grooming

CHILD grooming crimes have risen by almost half across Scotland over the past five years, shocking figures have revealed.

There were 636 offences of communicating indecently with a child recorded during 2021-22, according to research carried out by the NSPCC.

This equated to a 48 per cent rise on 2017-18, when 429 cases were logged.

Across the UK, data from 41 police forces showed an 84 per cent rise in these crimes over the same period, with a total of more than 27,000 offences in the past five years. The charges were brought against people accused of indecent communication with a child under the age of 13, and between the ages of 13 and 15.

NSPCC bosses warned last night that the scale of offending shows the importance of ensuring the Online Safety Bill tackles child sexual abuse and has practical suggestions on how this is best done.

Sir Peter Wanless, the charity’s chief executive, said: ‘Online grooming is taking place at unprecedented levels and only concerted action will turn the tide on this tsunami of preventable abuse. The crucial Online Safety Bill is the opportunity to deliver the legislative change we urgently need to address head-on these preventable crimes against children.

‘We strongly welcome the Government’s ambition to deliver world-leading legislation. But as it seems increasingly clear that the pandemic has resulted in a longterm increase in the abuse threat, the current proposals must go further now to prevent avoidable abuse.’

The Online Safety Bill is making its way through the House of Commons and would mean social media platforms which are likely to be accessed by children would have a duty to protect young people using their services. Additionally, platforms who publish or place explicit content on their services will be required to prevent children from accessing that content.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘Children and parents will be horrified at the extent to which online child abuse has poisoned Scottish society.

‘Any perpetrators who have committed such despicable crimes must be severely punished, yet we know that all too often this doesn’t happen under the SNP’s softtouch justice system.’