The U.K. has the third largest level of on line child sexual abuse in the world

fancythat 19.07 at time of charge and in police custody a “younger person” is defined as juvenile ie under 18. Anyone over 18 is a defined as an adult. When you gave the example of a “younger person” I therefore interpreted you were referring to a child rather than an adult.

Having said that I was careful to make clear I had no knowledge of the circumstances of the case you mentioned and gave no view as whether his penalty was fair, enough, whether he was let off the hook in the circumstances of that case ( you said you had no detail) or otherwise.

If the prosecution thought the penalty awarded was not enough, the person had been let off the hook or the public would be horrified, ie not in the public interest there is always leave to appeal.

Sex offenders escalate when their early involvement in say viewing indecent images of children no longer excites them. Access to real live children via the web seems to be horribly easy, paedophiles can direct the abuse streamed live into their homes.

Years ago, serious images of adult porn and the sexual abuse of
Children were difficult to get hold of. I’ve no doubt that easy access if fuelling an increase of crimes against children

In the 1960-70s small children say 5-7 years were taken, by a parent, to Holland. They’d be filmed in sexual activity with adults , usually men. Those videos were still available twenty years later. I don’t know why Holland, other than it had more liberal attitudes to say adult prostitution.

Thailand, the Phillipenes for example have some well established holiday resorts for sex offenders

Depressing isn’t it

Yes I suspect there is a link to the normalisation of prostitution, all a form of abuse.

fancythat 19.07 at time of charge and in police custody a “younger person” is defined as juvenile ie under 18. Anyone over 18 is a defined as an adult.

Sorry for my unintended confusion in the words I used.

I am in complete agreement with you. It’s a terrible state of affairs that children are not protected!
The abuse of children seems to be getting so much worse.
When and how and by whom can we count on to end these horrible crimes. I despair.

What would you like the see the UK doing to stop these horrible online crimes against children and help them be better protected?

I would like to see the very rich owners of online domains become liable to prosecution and to be shut down, if they don't provide an acceptable level of protection.

I agree thats one way. They can only be liable for prosecution if there is a law in place thats broken. Reform however, if elected in next election, pledge to abandon the Online Safety Act 2023.

Well that's not going to help children is it?
What are they thinking?
Who are they for?

In approx 5 years my prediction is that it will be illegal for under 16s to use social media platforms.

It's currently illegal to create, download and distribute online pornographic images of children. That in itself has not stopped the exponential growth of the industry.

However if they are not able to TRANSMIT the images to children that would be the biggest boost to protect children from viewing it. The Online Safety Bill holds internet providers to account to make sure processes are in place to stop the transmission of child pornographic images way. There is a current step wise implementation plan, implementation not there yet, and much push back from internet providers. Reform pledges to ditch the Act, which will set this back wholesale in UK.

However there are the children being used/abused in creating the images in the first place to consider. The largest market for distribution of child pornographic images is adults not children. So banning under 16s will not stop the trade, but yes give some welcome protection for under 16s.

Okay, what about a massive boost in technical and financial investment in finding ways to track and unmask the content creators?

The 2 top countries for child pornography images are Holland and USA. Police forces do work collaboratively across countries already. The cases I've been involved in, predominately the police have been tipped off about online activity by other countries, US in my personal experience, so this is anecdotal.

I am 100% certain the police would welcome a boost in dedicated technical and financial investment to deal with this challenge Maremia 👍.

Maremia

Okay, what about a massive boost in technical and financial investment in finding ways to track and unmask the content creators?

The big tech companies could censor the internet a stroke but they wont they are making too much money out if advertising.
With AI it would be easy to censor all images online, it would be difficult to stop entirely but that is not an excuse for not trying.

LemonJam

What would you like the see the UK doing to stop these horrible online crimes against children and help them be better protected?

It has become rather obvious to me that sentences are nowhere near enough.

And people are getting used to such low sentences.

Will never stop and only increase, with that. In my opinion.

My DH and I have been watching a documentary about the Brinx matt crime.

Some of the people in those cases were given 25 year sentences. In the 1980's.
Doubt they would get even 12 nowadays.

Absolutely David, they have no excuse.

David49 17.55 👍

fancythat 18.09 "It has become rather obvious to me that sentences are nowhere near enough. And people are getting used to such low sentences. Will never stop and only increase, with that'

cps.gov.uk 3 October 2025 "Dark web abuser jailed for multiple child sexual abuse offences".

Robert Chown, 48, was sentenced for engaging in a variety of on line offences ranging from inciting children to engage in sexual activity to downloading and accessing child sexual abuse materials. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison intially, extended for a further 7 years to 25 years in total for his dark web crimes.

There would need to be a change in sentencing guidelines to extend 25 year terms for this type of offence further. That would need to come from central government so anyone could lobby their MP accordingly.

Mainstream sites like You Tube and Facebook filter sexual content pretty successfully.
The others could do the same easily, no excuses,

But that is one case. I can give you an example of a local headteacher convicted of having thousands of images, no prison time. Suspended sentence.

Galaxy

But that is one case. I can give you an example of a local headteacher convicted of having thousands of images, no prison time. Suspended sentence.

Hear hear.

I thought I must be misreading LJs post.
Thought I would reread later.

I think LJ has made my point perfectly.

As have you and me.

What is going on, I am now wondering.

A lack of jail space?
Or something even darker.

Galaxy 18.44- I gave an example of one named case anyone can google to find out the details.

Do you have a date/name/newspaper article reference that sets out the details of the case you mention to understand the actual facts of that case?

Juric - north east England.