The number of perverts convicted of sexual offences after meeting and grooming children online has more than tripled over the last five years.
Perverts are using popular games such as Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite and World of Warcraft to meet children as young as eight - sending vile and inappropriate messages and communications.
In 2018, there were 71 convictions for sexual offences after predators used online video games to meet children, rising to an astounding 219 in 2021. These figures are from some 21 forces across England and Wales collectively.
Read more: Cullercoats paedophile had hundreds of sick images of kids on cloud storage app
The Mirror reports that the offences included grooming, sharing indecent images and videos, asking kids to perform sex acts, abduction and rape. One girl claimed that she was raped by a boy she met playing Minecraft, while another - aged 11 - was contacted by an Estonian man who was asking for photographs and to meet for sexual purposes.
An eight year-old boy playing Roblox elsewhere was told to 'touch his private parts', a ten-year-old girl was sent indecent images, and one child was left so scared after being contacted while playing Minecraft and Fortnite that he was not able to sleep.
Roblox and Minecraft said that they were invested in safety, with their games using chat filters to prevent unwanted contact. World of Warcraft also said that users breaching Blizzard's social contract would be banned.
A Government spokesman said: “The safety of our children is paramount. The Online Safety Bill will offer a step-change in online child safety, and make the UK the safest place to be a child online.”
Read next:
- Drunk Northumberland thief threatened to throw acid on shop worker while holding jar of 'yellow liquid' which turned out to be cider
Racist yob shouted 'appalling' abuse about Northumberland takeaway workers
Hapless coat thief caught by police carrying stolen TK Maxx goods down street in Walker
Trio in court accused of dealing cocaine in Byker and Walker
Disgruntled Cramlington man fined for repeatedly throwing dog poo into neighbour's garden
