LEDBURY'S MP, Bill Wiggin MP is lending his support to an NSPCC campaign to make it a crime for an adult to send a sexual message to a child.

The MP for North Herefordshire met with the NSPCC in Parliament this month to find out more about the charity’s "Flaw in the Law" campaign, which is calling on the Government to introduce a new offence so that it is always illegal for an adult to intentionally send a sexual message to a child.

The campaign is seeking an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill, which is soon due to receive its Second Reading in the Commons.

Mr Wiggin said: “Given the alarming rise in online child abuse, it is very concerning that the current law is unable to adequately protect children.

"I urge the Government to listen to the NSPCC’s concerns and to create a new offence through the Serious Crime Bill so that it is always illegal for an adult to send a sexual message to a child.”

Mr Wiggin said the law in this area hasn’t kept up with the way that abusers are using the internet to facilitate the abuse of children; and the NSPCC is concerned that there is inadequate protection for children from online abuse.

Existing laws are fragmented and sex offenders are able to, and often do, exploit the loopholes on social networks, mobile apps, chat rooms, and online gaming environments.

The current law only covers situations where it can be proved that the adult intends to actually meet a child.

However, increasingly abusers online have no intention to meet a child and abuse them physically, meaning this legislation doesn't cover online grooming.