The number of cyber-related child sex offences recorded in Nottinghamshire has risen by almost a third, according to the NSPCC.
The children’s charity found the number of offences increased from 98 in 2015/16 to 125 in 2016/17, a 29 per cent rise in the county.
The NSPCC says the internet has played a role in contact offences such as rape, sexual assault and grooming.
Childline senior supervisor for Nottingham Lawrence Orme said: “These figures confirm our fears that offenders are exploiting the internet to target children for their own dark deeds.
“Children are also telling the NSPCC’s Childline service that they are being targeted online by some adults who pose as children and try to meet them, or persuade them to perform sexual acts on webcams, before blackmailing them.
“This terrifies them and can leave some feeling worthless, depressed, and suicidal.”
Mr Orme says more needs to be done to reduce and stop the number of cyber-related child sex offences across the UK.
He said: “We cannot idly sit by knowing that more and more innocent young people are being harmed online.
“Today’s worrying data leaves the next government with no choice but to urgently address this issue.
“We are calling on them to force internet companies and social media sites to adhere to rules that keep their young users safe.”
Nottinghamshire’s rise is below the national average.
In an FOI request submitted to 43 police forces across England and Wales, the NSPCC found the amount of cyber-related attacks rose by 44 per cent – 3,903 attacks were recorded in 2015/16 with 5,653 recorded in 2016/17.
The figures also show police are recording an average of 15 internet-related sex crimes against children per day nationally.
For offences where age was recorded, 13 was the most common age of the victim but there were nearly 100 offences committed against children aged 10 and under.
The youngest victim was three-years-old.
