Remove Convicted Child Rapist Darren Evans from Residential Area Near Primary School

Online child grooming is rising at an alarming rate in the United Kingdom. In the past five years alone, reports of online grooming offences have increased by 82%, according to NSPCC data compiled from UK police forces. Thousands of children are being targeted through platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Roblox, and WhatsApp — often in their own bedrooms — by predators who use manipulation and psychological tactics to build trust before exploiting them for sexual gratification. This form of abuse is not limited to chat messages. Groomers convince children they are in love, persuade them to share indecent images, engage in sexual conversations, and in many cases, attempt to meet them in person. Children as young as 10 have been reported as victims. The long-term emotional damage caused by online grooming is devastating. Victims often suffer from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts. Many lose trust in adults entirely, struggle with relationships later in life, and feel blamed or ashamed for what happened. Despite the gravity of this crime, many online groomers are being let off with nothing more than a caution or suspended sentence. In some cases, even repeat offenders avoid prison. First-time grooming is treated as a "lower-risk" crime, even though the offender may have been in contact with dozens of children. Online grooming often precedes physical abuse, and yet, when intercepted early, it is often underpunished. The law currently treats digital grooming as less serious than in-person abuse, despite victims experiencing the same psychological harm. This is not justice. It is negligence. Our legal system should not be providing second chances to adults who deliberately prey on children. All forms of child sexual abuse — including grooming, even if no physical contact occurs — must carry serious legal consequences. These crimes should be met with mandatory prison sentences and lifelong monitoring. Victims should not have to fight for justice while their abuser is given leniency. We are calling on the government to introduce tougher sentencing for online groomers. This includes making grooming a trigger offence for automatic prison time, regardless of whether it’s a first offence. Online grooming should carry the same sentencing guidelines as direct sexual abuse. There must be no more cautions, no more community orders, and no more excuses. The safety of our children cannot be optional. Predators are using every available loophole to reach children behind screens, and our justice system needs to close those gaps. Parliament must act now to strengthen sentencing, increase digital policing resources, and protect the next generation from repeat abusers. We demand real justice. No more soft penalties. No more repeat offenders. Tougher sentences for all online child groomers — because every child deserves safety, and every predator deserves to be held accountable.