Extreme internet porn is fuelling a surge in sex attacks by children

EXTREME pornography is fuelling an alarming rise in the number of child rapists, a minister has warned.

Criminal convictions for rape by those aged under 17 have almost doubled in just four years, according to the latest figures.

Experts said vile internet material was influencing children to act out the depraved scenes they saw on mobile phones or tablets.

Last week an 11-year-old boy admitted seven counts of rape and sexual assault on boys under 13 after watching explicit images online. Magistrates in Sunderland said it was ‘clear’ online porn had sparked the sex attacks.

Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice revealed 120 children were convicted of rape in 2015, the last year figures are available. That was a 74 per cent rise from 69 convictions in 2011. Justice Minister Phillip Lee highlighted his concerns at a youth justice conference. He said: ‘We are seeing an inter- net age driving greater access to more worrying imagery online. In the extreme, the sexualisation of youth is manifesting itself in younger conviction ages for rape.’

Of the 120 children convicted of rape, 46 were sentenced to detention and 61 received community orders. The remaining 13 were dealt with in other ways. The average custodial sentence was 44 months.

The figures come after the Mail campaigned for automatic blocks on porn to protect under-18s. The Government responded by giving families the choice to block online pornography from home networks. But critics have called for tougher rules.

A spokesman for Barnardo’s said: ‘ Experience of sexual or non-sexual abuse are risk factors in children displaying harmful sexual behaviour.’

Last November a boy was convicted of repeatedly raping his younger sister after becoming fascinated with online pornography.

The 14-year-old, who was 12 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to six charges of rape at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court. His internet history showed he had searched