Shropshire Star

Telford police chief: Tackling child sex offences my number one priority

Adults having sexual relationships with 16 and 17-year-olds while working in ‘positions of trust’ have accounted for 29 crimes in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire since 2012.

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Priority – Superintendent Tom Harding

It is illegal for teachers, care workers and youth justice staff to have sexual contact with 16 and 17-year-old children under their supervision.

But the NSPCC says a loophole in the law means children are not properly protected from adults working in other roles – such as sports coaches, religious leaders and youth workers – prompting the charity to campaign for the law to go further.

Telford’s police chief, Superintendent Tom Harding, says child sexual offences remain his number one priority.

He said: “We are committed to tackling grooming in all its forms, including crimes involving adults working in a position of trust, and raising awareness to help ensure children don’t become victims.

“Awareness of the issue coupled with an increase in confidence that victims will be listened to, is something we welcome.

“West Mercia Police takes any reports of grooming extremely seriously and we have dedicated, specialist officers tackling offences where children are the subject of grooming.

“Protecting children is a priority for us and along with our partners, we are determined to bring anyone to justice that engages in sexual activity or communication with a child, while providing support to those young people who have been affected.

“I would encourage anyone who is being groomed or is concerned that someone they know is being groomed to get in contact with us.”

Backtracked

Across England and Wales, there have been 1,406 abuse of position of trust offences recorded since 2012, with an increase of 51 per cent over that period. Following an NSPCC campaign, in November last year Sports Minister Tracey Crouch announced that the then Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Ministry of Justice had agreed that these laws would be extended to sports coaches.

But the charity says the Government has backtracked on its pledge.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said: “This change in direction is as disappointing as it is dangerous.

“It shows a lack of understanding of the nature of grooming whereby young people might feel that they are in a loving relationship, when in fact an adult with considerable power and influence over them is abusing their position of trust for sexual gratification.

“That position of power is not diminished if it exists on the sports pitch, in the mini bus, or in the changing rooms, as opposed to in the classroom. Yet bizarrely the law draws such a distinction.

“More than 1,400 of these crimes have been recorded in recent years, but this could be just the tip of the iceberg given the plethora of roles not covered.”

The charity says it will continue to campaign for laws on positions of trust to be extended to cover all adults defined as working in what is known as ‘regulated activity’.

This applies to adults who work regularly with children, and who teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide guidance on well-being, or drive a vehicle only for children.