Delyn MP backs NSPCC campaign to close the loophole that allows adult supervisors to target teens for sex

• Currently sports coaches, faith leaders, and cadet leaders are legally allowed to have sex with those aged 16 and 17 who they supervise.

• The Ministry of Justice is now reviewing legal loophole that allows adults to have sex with teenagers in their care.

• Almost 30 cross-party MPs have written to the justice secretary, David Gauke, in support of NSPCC’s ‘Close The Loophole’ campaign.

Friday 24 May

DELYN MP David Hanson has backed an NSPCC campaign to close the loophole that allows adults to have sex with teenagers they supervise.

Currently only people, such as teachers, social workers and youth justice workers are legally in a position of trust, meaning it is a crime for them to have sex with the 16 or 17-year-olds under their supervision.

But sports coaches, faith leaders, driving instructors and cadet leaders are among some of the roles that are legally allowed to have sex with teenagers they are responsible for.

The NSPCC has warned that this loophole leaves young people vulnerable to being groomed in sporting settings, in places of worship or other extracurricular settings.

The charity’s ‘Close the Loophole’ campaign calls for these laws to be extended to all adults with responsibility for young people, stopping children and young people being preyed upon as soon as they turn 16.

Now the loophole will be reviewed by the Ministry of Justice after David Hanson, along with 30 other MPs, wrote to the department in support of the NSPCC’s demand.

David Hanson MP said: “The ‘Close the Loophole’ campaign being run by NSPCC is sensible and practical. I cannot understand why the UK Government have stalled on their promise to include sports coaches in the Position of Trust law.

“It is blatantly obvious that people who work with children, such as sports coaches, should be covered by the same laws as teachers.

“I believe that we should be doing much more to protect children and vulnerable people against abuse of any kind. The UK Government need to take action now.”

This comes after nearly 3,000 NSPCC supporters called on their MP to insist justice secretary David Gauke makes it illegal for adults to have sex with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care.

Des Mannion, the head of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, said: “Most parents will probably be shocked that the adults they trust to supervise their teenagers can legally have sex with these young people.

“It makes no sense that children are protected from predatory adults in some settings but not others. It’s good to see that David Hanson is as worried as we are and is demanding a change that will protect children.

“Although most adults who supervise young people will have their best interests at heart, there is a small minority who will exploit their role and target a child, knowing full well they can get away with it.

“This is not right and we’re calling on the UK Government to ‘Close The Loophole’. All children must be protected whether they’re in the classroom, on a football pitch, or at a cadet meeting.”

The fresh review marks a complete about-face for the UK Government, after it originally promised to close the loophole in 2017, before backtracking last year.

Figures obtained by the NSPCC last year revealed how adults in non-statutory roles have been allowed to exploit their position of influence by lying in wait until a child in their care turns 16.

Between 2014 and 2018 police in England and Wales recorded 1,025 crimes of Abuse of Position of Trust of a Sexual Nature, with 28 of these offences logged by Welsh forces.

But council figures obtained by the NSPCC show a further 653 complaints were made over the same period about adults who are not currently covered by the criminal law having sex with children in their care.

Seventeen of these complaints were recorded by seven local authorities in Wales.

The NSPCC warned the figures betrayed only a fraction of the true size of the problem because, as it is perfectly legal for adults to have sex with teenagers in their care, many cases will not be reported.