NSPCC's desperate bid to make sexting children illegal ahead of Adam Johnson's second appeal

Disgraced footballer: Adam Johnson will make a second appeal to against a conviction for child sex offences
Nigel Roddis/Getty Images
Fiona Simpson28 February 2017
WEST END FINAL

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The NSPCC has called on the Government to make sending sexual messages to children illegal as disgraced footballer Adam Johnson makes a second appeal against his conviction for child sex offences.

The former England and Sunderland footballer was jailed for six years in January last year for engaging in sexual activity with a besotted 15-year-old fan.

He also exchanged more than 800 messages with the girl that included saying he wanted “more than a kiss” and “to take her jeans off”.

At the time of his conviction, grooming through the use of messages itself was not a crime, the NSPCC said.

As Johnson prepares to make a second bid at the Court of Appeal this week, the charity is calling on MPs to enact a law made two years ago which would make it illegal to send sexual messages to a child.

Johnson's case would not be affected by enacting the law.

Enforcing the anti-grooming law, which was created two years ago, would allow police officers to intervene earlier in grooming cases, according to the charity.

A spokesman said: “You would think it would be illegal for an adult to send sexually explicit messages to a child. But the frightening fact is that it is not.

“This kind of message would be an offence if they were sent in Scotland, but in England and Wales police are still powerless to intervene because anti-sexting laws created two years ago have yet to be enacted.

“The Government’s delay in outlawing this kind of grooming is a disgrace. Justice Secretary Liz Truss must act with urgency to fix this flaw in the law and stop abuse before it starts.”

The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for a comment.

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