Shropshire teenager grooming incident highlights internet dangers
West Mercia Police has today released details of a case in which six men were arrested during a major police investigation into the sexual grooming of a 15-year-old Shropshire girl on the internet.
Details of the case have been released to serve as a warning to other youngsters and parents about the dangers of chatting to strangers on the web.
The vulnerable teenager was exploited by men who travelled to Shropshire from different parts of the country after making contact with her through internet chat sites.
Following a 15-month inquiry by West Mercia Police's Public Protection Unit in Shrewsbury, the men - who were unknown to each other - were investigated and the majority convicted. Several have been jailed.
Detective Inspector Darren Capener, said: "Promoting internet safety is a key priority for the police across West Mercia. The internet is an amazing place but there are risks.
"Our recent investigation illustrates the dangers which exist and we want children and their parents to be on their guard."
He said the Shropshire teenager was groomed online through social networking sites resulting in her meeting with six men, aged between 24 and 44. "This grooming led to all of them having a sexual relationship with the girl.
"Five of the six were not local and had travelled from various parts of the country to facilitate the sexual encounter. The police investigation was complex and protracted, involving the recovery and examination of a substantial number of computers and media devices. Further offences against children were identified in some instances."
He said several of the men received prison sentences of up to two years and all were placed on the sex offenders register. The investigation also highlighted the vulnerability of the victim and led to multi-agency involvement to secure her welfare and safety.
DI Capener said the police worked closely with others members of Shropshire's Safeguarding Children's Board to protect vulnerable juveniles.
"Parental awareness is absolutely vital. Children and young people conduct their lives on the internet and express their inner-most thoughts. This can be fraught with danger but by following some simple guidelines, those dangers can be greatly reduced.
"Getting to know about your child's online world is a fantastic opportunity for parents to become part of their world. It will also help parents understand the issues around the net and be able to relate better with their youngsters.
"We don't want to scare people but with a few simple pieces of knowledge, parents can help to keep their children safe online."
A wealth of resources, information and guidance about child sexual abuse awareness and prevention can be found on the Parents Protect! Website, http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk, at the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre, http://www.ceop.police.uk and through the West Mercia Police advice centre at http://www.westmercia.police.uk.
