Don’t jail ‘low-risk’ paedophiles says cop in charge of keeping Britain’s children safe

PERVERTS who view child sex abuse online should not be charged, Britain’s top kids protection cop says.

Simon Bailey said only predators who pose a physical threat to youngsters should be prosecuted.

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He said police lack the resources to deal with online and historical cases of child abuse as well as current crimes.

And he wants lower-level offences decriminalised.

Mr Bailey, Norfolk Chief Constable and responsible for child protection for the National Police Chiefs Council, admitted the public would be horrified.

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But he told : “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.

“We have reached saturation point.”

Reports of child abuse have soared by 80 per cent in the past three years.

Mr Bailey said: “How can we be expected to cope with all that if we are still having to deal with what I would describe as very, very low-risk offenders?”

The NSPCC agreed the volume of crime makes prosecuting everyone difficult.

A spokesman said: “We must make prevention and rehabilitation a priority.”