Government plans to amend the Serious Crime Bill will make the act of sending sexual messages to children a criminal offence.
The NSPCC recently ran a campaign entitled Flaw in the Law, which called on the Government to criminalise the act of sending children sexual messages. Following their campaign, the Prime Minister recently announced that an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, which is due for its Second Reading on January 5, will be tabled, making sexual communication with children a criminal act.
Under the proposed changes to the law, any person convicted of the new offence of sexual communication with a child can be subject to a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and the conviction will automatically trigger the notification requirements for registered sex offenders under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Welcoming the news, Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “Protecting our children is of paramount importance, and I am so pleased that this amendment will be tabled as part of the Serious Crime Bill.
“I am delighted that the Government is working hard to bring to justice these people that truly have no morals and seek to take advantage of children, and I hope to see the amendment included in the final bill.
“This will be welcome news for all parents in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, of which I myself am one, as we all know how important it is to protect our children.”
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