Rise In On-Line Grooming Of Children

Sexual grooming crimes against children have reached record levels, according to the NSPCC.

89 have been recorded by Police in Leicestershire in the past year – more than a 50% increase on the previous 12 months – and in Northamptonshire there were 52 offences – double the amount the year before.

A Freedom of Information request by the charity found there were nearly £4,400 offences committed across the country in the year to April, with more than one in five against children aged 11 or under.

In Leicestershire a quarter of the cases involved Instagram.

The NSPCC now wants a new law which means technology firms have a duty of care.

Facebook – which owns Instagram – says there’s no place for grooming or child exploitation on its platforms.