Online grooming offences reach record high in the UK – The Independent

Grooming gang inquiry will never be watered down, says Starmer Online grooming offences have reached a record high in the UK, with 7,263 cases recorded in the year to March, nearly doubling the figures from 2018. The youngest victim identified was a four-year-old boy, and girls accounted for 80 per cent of victims where gender was known. Snapchat was linked to 40 per cent of identified tech platform offences, while WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram each accounted for 9 per cent. The NSPCC described the figures as “deeply alarming” and urged tech companies to analyse metadata for suspicious patterns and restrict adult profiles. Police and the Internet Watch Foundation also called on tech firms to prioritise child safety in platform design, including in encrypted spaces, to protect children. In full Boy, 4, victim of online grooming as offences reach record high
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