Save children from peril of net perverts pleads ex-Yard chief

Giving children unrestricted internet access is as dangerous as letting them out alone at night, Scotland Yard's ex-head of homicide warned today.

Former Met commander Andre Baker told the Girls' Schools Association conference that children as young as five must be taught the dangers of online grooming, sexual abuse and bullying.

"When a child is isolated in their room they are a couple of clicks away from danger," said Mr Baker, deputy chief executive at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre.

"It is the responsibility of parents, teachers and other institutions to make children aware of the dangers."

His message follows a government warning that the grooming of under-18s for sex occurs "in far greater numbers than was ever imagined".

Children's minister Tim Loughton yesterday launched an action plan to tackle the problems, saying children are often offered money, food, drugs or alcohol to coerce them. Mr Baker said children are at risk of sexual abuse, grooming and bullying when online.

Predatory paedophiles send emails to youngsters on social networking sites "like mail shots" and wait for somebody to reply, he said.

He added: "Is this as dangerous as a child being outside at night on their own? Potentially yes.
"If they are sitting in their room they could be looking at anything. If they click off something quickly when you walk in the room, challenge them.

"A child can be groomed into taking photos and the escalation of the grooming means they can be threatened and blackmailed into taking more explicit photos. We need to give them the confidence to say no."

The protection centre's Thinkuknow campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of the internet among parents, teachers and children.

Mr Baker said teaching children how to stay safe online should be as common as teaching them the dangers of talking to strangers or crossing the road.