UNITED KINGDOM
Daily Mail
By GEORGE ODLING FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Paedophiles who look at indecent photos of children should not face criminal sanctions unless they pose a physical threat, according to Britain’s most senior child protection officer.
An increase in reporting of sexual abuse – including online and historical cases – has meant the policing system has reached ‘saturation point’, according to chief constable Simon Bailey, national police lead for child protection.
Taking a stance he acknowledged would horrify many, he said lower level offending should be de-criminalised and dealt with through counselling and rehabilitation, The Times reported.
But critics argued the proposals could give paedophiles the green light to offend without fear of prosecution.
‘The police service [is] having to deal with an unprecedented volume of reports of non-recent abuse, ongoing abuse, online abuse, peer to peer abuse,’ he said.
‘The numbers are continuing to rise. We have reached saturation point…the police service has responded to the threat but it has now reached that point whereby we have to try and turn the tide. We have to look at alternatives.’
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