Diane Abbott MP, Shadow Home Secretary, commenting to reports that 80,000 people in the UK are estimated to pose a sexual threat to children online, said:

“The scale of this threat to children is staggering. It is evident that the Government has simply not treated these appalling crimes with the seriousness they deserve.

“The police must be given the resources they need to properly assess and tackle these crimes which can be complex and enormous in scope.

“Unfortunately, devastating Tory cuts have slashed police numbers by over 20,000 and damaged the capacity of police forces to tackle sexual exploitation online.”