Government backs tougher sentences on cyber-bullies and text perverts

 
Large scale investigation: the Met is investigating 200 cyber crime gangs
25 March 2014
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The Government today backed tougher laws that could see cyber stalkers and text perverts locked up for two years.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the new rules will target offenders who make victims’ lives a misery by abusing or sexually harassing them online or on mobiles.

MP Angie Bray proposed the change after a constituent said her daughter had been “verbally raped” by an older man who bombarded the girl with obscene texts.

The change would also give prosecutors more time to build a case in an area of law where it can be difficult to get a conviction. It follows incidents in which mobiles or websites such as Twitter and Facebook were used to abuse people.

Jonathan Ross’s wife Jane Goldman recently quit Twitter after her family was targeted.

Ealing Central and Acton MP Ms Bray said: “Most of us are absolutely appalled by some of the dreadful things abusers say on social networking sites.

“It’s got to the point were some people are literally hounded to death. There must be a way to ensure that when bullying gets to this level the law reflects how serious it is.”

Mr Grayling said: “We’ve got rules in place to stop people being harassed or distressed by any particular means of communication.

“Now we’re just making sure that those rules are as robust as possible.”

He added: “Part of the purpose of this Bill is to toughen up some of the penalties that offenders face when they break the law — and this particular amendment that Angie has proposed will help achieve that.”

Troll victim: Caroline Criado-Perez

Currently offences under the Malicious Communications Act can only be tried at magistrates’ courts, which can impose a prison sentence no longer than six months.

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Ms Bray’s plan would give magistrates the ability to send such cases for trial at crown court, where the jail term given could be four times longer and there is more time to bring a case. The change will be discussed by a committee of MPs on Thursday and if approved will be added to laws to be voted on later this year.

Ms Bray acted when a mother told her that her 14-year-old daughter was left devastated after a man sent her 2,000 texts over 18 months. Prosecutors failed to secure a conviction.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has called for schools to do more to stop the “viciousness and personal cruelty” shown by cyber bullies.

He spoke out after a series of deaths of youngsters who had been targeted online including Leicestershire girl Hannah Smith, who had received a string of abusive messages telling her to “drink bleach”, “go get cancer” and “go die”.

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