Online sexual predators 'have attacked children 44,000 times as new laws are delayed'

Charity NSPCC says online sexual abuse cases targeting children rose 11% between April and September last year - with around 120 statements to police every day, exactly one year after the long-delayed Online Safety Bill was first presented to MPs

Frightening figures suggest that over 40,000 online child sex offenses have taken place in the past year (

Image: Getty Images/Cultura RF)

Online sexual predators have committed more than 40,000 offenses against children since long-delayed legislative changes were first put before MPs, a chilling report warns today.

The charity NSPCC says cases rose by 11% between April and September last year, with around 120 reports to police every day.

This means child victims are 'paying the price' for the slow progress of the Online Safety Bill, which passed its first reading in Parliament a year ago.

Activists called on the government to hurry up and strengthen laws protecting children.

The NSPCC estimates that 44,000 offenses have been recorded by UK police in the past 12 months, up from 3,706 a decade ago.

And he said the number of children contacting Childline about online sexual abuse and exploitation has increased by 24% over this period.

The NSPCC's Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said: "We are witnessing a growing wave of online child sexual abuse and it is vital that the Online Safety Bill which is finally enacted is strong enough to address current and future damage.

The NSPCC says children are paying the price for the long delay (

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“Despite cross-party consensus, there are powerful players who continue to seek to erect barriers to regulation and meanwhile, children across the UK are paying the price in the form of record levels of child abuse. abuse."

The association has requested the appointment of a Child Safety Advocate.

The NSPCC said in a statement: "These figures underscore the importance of the Online Safety Bill being placed on the statute books, in its strongest form, as soon as possible. "

The invoice has been submitted several times. In July last year it was postponed after Boris Johnson called for a vote of confidence in his own government.

A discussion scheduled for October was initially pushed back to December, when it was sent back to the committees for further consideration.

This follows a series of changes to the...