Gaps in the UK legal system are allowing known sex offenders such as Gary Glitter and Richard Huckle to abuse children abroad, a report has found.

Offenders from England and Wales are travelling overseas to commit "extensive abuse" of children, including in eastern Asia and Africa, said the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

It said civil orders, such as travel restrictions, are rarely placed on offenders to stop them visiting other countries where poverty and corruption have left children vulnerable.

Image: Oxfam staff abused children after the Haiti earthquake in 2010

Police forces are also often not aware of Section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which allows residents of England and Wales accused of sexually abusing children abroad to be prosecuted in the UK, the report found.

The inquiry said "more radical measures" are needed to increase the number of foreign travel restriction orders made, and suggested a national action plan to "help ensure a coordinated response on the issue and also raise public awareness".


As of 31 March 2018, only around 0.2% of the 58,637 registered sex offenders in England and Wales had their foreign travel restricted.

And the National Crime Agency estimates about 80,000 people in the UK may present a sexual threat to children online, increasingly through live-streaming, which, along with exploitation tourism, is linked to illicit markets in child trafficking in poorer parts of the world.

The report found the disclosure and barring system, including the International Child Protection Certificate which overseas institutions can request when recruiting British nationals, is "confusing, inconsistent and in need of reform".

High-profile cases were highlighted in the report, including singer Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd), who abused young girls in Asia after being convicted of possessing indecent images of children in the UK.

Image: The National Crime Agency estimates 80,000 people in the UK may present a sexual threat to children online

Richard Huckle, known as "Britain's worst paedophile" was also highlighted after being convicted in 2016 of 71 counts of serious sexual assaults against children while working as a teacher in Malaysia.

Huckle, the report said, is an example of how some abusers operate in sophisticated networks which share tips and strategies with other paedophiles to avoid detection.

The inquiry also heard how abusers often establish trust with vulnerable children and families as they masquerade as philanthropists who provide money.

Disaster areas pose a particular risk for children, with the report highlighting how Oxfam staff sexually exploited children in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

The report has made five recommendations to the government, including restricting foreign travel of sex offenders more often, substantially extending the reach of the Disclosure and Barring Service to overseas and the introduction of a national plan of action.

Chair of the Inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, said: "The sexual abuse of children overseas by UK nationals is an urgent problem we cannot hide from.

"Current gaps in our legal system are allowing known offenders to travel abroad to target vulnerable children in less developed countries, and this is simply not acceptable.

"The panel and I hope this report and its recommendations will lead the authorities to tighten their grip on abusers who seek to exploit some of the most vulnerable children in the world."