Men aged 18 to 26 are ‘emerging group’ of online paedophiles, police warn

Campaigners say old stereotypes must be ‘destroyed’ to stop rising offending, writes Lizzie Dearden

Warning comes after NCA reveals UK is home to at least 300,000 people who pose a sexual threat to children (PA)

British men aged between 18 and 26 are emerging as a “new group” of online paedophiles, a senior police officer has warned.

Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the national police lead for child protection, said young men were “starting to explore what child abuse imagery might look like, and they start to get their kicks from that”.

“I fear that will only get worse,” he added. “We have historically talked about those men who are predisposed to have a sexual interest in children.