Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Marie Sharp

Midlothian police make online protection a top priority as sextortion cases rise

Concern over the continued rise of sextortion cases in Midlothian has led police to change their top priority for the county to include the digital world.

Local area commander James Robertson says protecting vulnerable people from cyber criminals is now part of the force's number one aim in Midlothian.

He told a meeting of Midlothian Police, Fire and Rescue Board that concern about the blackmailers who targeted people online was included in the local policing plan which is currently out for public consultation.

READ MORE: Midlothian Provost appeals for calm after 'shockingly rude' comments from public

Inspector Robertson said: "We have a continued proactive approach to warning against the dangers of sextortion scams. This is where an individual is befriended by someone online and encouraged to share explicit images before being blackmailed by the perpetrators.

"This new emerging crime type is reflected in our draft of the local policing plan where we have amended our first priority to protecting vulnerable people in the physical and digital world.

"That reinforces our commitment to tackling cyber crime."

The top priority previously was 'Protecting the most vulnerable people'.

Last year the board was warned of a worrying increase in sextortion cases involving young people which was being reported by their parents.

At the time the local area commander said the blackmail was “often perpetrated overseas and very challenging to detect.”

He said: "Our messaging remains the same, sometimes the people you meet online are not who they say they are. We want people to be aware of the risks and stay safe online and if there has been an incident, to have the confidence to report it to police."

Sign up to Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

READ NEXT:

Midlothian plan to cut teachers, libraries and music lessons sparks protest

New Midlothian 'Warm and Well' hubs offer free soup and hot drinks over winter

Private Midlothian hospital 'scales down' plan to add more beds after review

Midlothian mental health concern as funding is 'paused' despite rise in cases

Midlothian councillor says UK Government block on gender rights bill 'revolting'

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.