Essex: Parents warned of internet sex abuse

INTERNET child abuse is rising at an alarming rate in Essex, a top police officer warned today.

The county’s detectives claim more offences were reported to police in the first six months of this year than in the whole of 2007.

The crime is one of the UK’s fastest-spreading problems, and parents are urged to take action to prevent perverts and paedophiles targeting children via chatrooms and social networking sites.

In Essex last year there were 111 offences reported. At the beginning of this month Essex Police’s internet crime unit was already investigating 133 cases.

Det Sgt John Woodley, internet crime specialist in the public protection unit at Essex Police headquarters, said the number of cases was rising at an alarming rate