GROOMING cases in Hampshire have soared by 900 per cent, with 150 cases recorded last year, according to latest figures.

Figures released by the Home Office have revealed that Hampshire Constabulary has seen a rise each year for the past five years in the number of grooming cases recorded by the force.

In 2013/14 15 offences were recorded but this rose to 150 from April to January 1, 2018, and a total of 291 cases were logged over the five years.

The Home Office has said that the latest figures include the new offence of sexual communication with a child brought into force in April 2017, as well as offences for meeting a child after grooming.

Detective Superintendent Rachel Farrell from Hampshire Constabulary said: "We take online grooming offences very seriously and are robust and thorough in both our recording and investigation of these crimes. The internet is no place to hide and we will work proactively to identify and trace offenders.

"We are also working closely with partners in children’s services and education to ensure collectively we are able to recognise and respond appropriately to potential offences and safeguard vulnerable children. Police and partners are also engaged in prevention and safety initiatives aimed at children, young people and their parents and carers.

"Rising offences also are likely to reflect more awareness and confidence in reporting. The sad reality is the extent of the problem is far wider than is reported to the police and many victims will be two frightened or embarrassed to seek help. We need to change that. We would urge anyone worried about the contact they or their child are having with someone online to get in touch with us."

National figures revealed that 6,341 grooming crimes have been recorded by police in England and Wales since April 2013.

And there was a total of 2,996 grooming crimes recorded from April 2017 to December 2017.

The NSPCC’s #WildWestWeb campaign is calling on Culture Secretary Matt Hancock to bring in a mandatory safety code to regulate social networks to keep children safe online and help prevent grooming.

Mr Hancock is in the process of drawing up an Internet Safety Strategy, but it is expected to bring in a social media safety code which is voluntary in nature and the Strategy will include no plans to prevent grooming.

Last week the charity revealed that Facebook and Facebook-owned apps, Instagram and Whatsapp, were used in 52 per cent of online grooming cases where police disclosed which methods were used by suspects.

The youngest child to be targeted in the first nine months of the new offence of sexual communication with a child, was just two-years-old.

Tony Stower, NSPCC head of child safety online, said: “These thousands of crimes show the sheer scale of grooming, where predators have either messaged their victim or gone on to meet them in person.

“At present our government is only prepared to tackle grooming after the harm has been done, and its forthcoming Internet Safety Strategy has no plans to prevent grooming from happening in the first place.

“Culture Secretary Matt Hancock could change this and bring an end to the Wild West Web. I urge him to bring in regulation for social networks, backed by an independent regulator with teeth.”