14 years in jail for bid to groom a child

Paedophiles who attempt to groom children online or by text will be jailed for 14 years after just one message even if they never physically meet their victim under plans to tackle dangerous gaps in Ireland’s child protection laws.

Government yesterday confirmed the high-profile legal change, which TDs said will “incredibly” only now make child grooming a specific offence, after UN pressure to address the worrying gap in existing defences.

While people who contact minors “two or more” times to coerce them into sex can currently be arrested under the 1998 Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, gardaí can only act if they physically meet their victims.