New Legislation Criminalizes Child Exploitation and Cuckooing in the UK

New Legislation Criminalizes Child Exploitation and Cuckooing in the UK

New legislation set to be introduced in Parliament next week will make child criminal exploitation and "cuckooing" specific criminal offences. The proposed Crime and Policing Bill also includes measures to impose restriction orders on those deemed at risk of exploiting children for criminal gain.

Targeting Exploitation and Cuckooing

Under the new law, child criminal exploitation will specifically target individuals who groom children into criminal activities, such as county lines drug dealing and organized robbery. The bill aims to address a worrying gap in current legal provisions, as existing charges—ranging from assault to harassment—often fail to fully capture the harm caused by these hidden crimes.

Cuckooing, defined as the practice of criminals taking over the homes of vulnerable individuals to use as bases for illegal activities like drug dealing, will now be criminalized. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described such exploitation as "sickening" and stressed the importance of robust legislation to protect victims and prevent these crimes from occurring.

Stringent Penalties and Prevention Orders

The proposed legislation carries severe penalties:

•The cuckooing offence will carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

• A standalone offence for child criminal exploitation will have a maximum penalty of 10 years.

•Additionally, the bill will introduce CCE prevention orders. Breaking these orders will itself be a criminal offence, carrying a maximum term of five years.

Experts believe these measures will provide much-needed clarity and stronger protection for children, ensuring that exploited individuals are recognized as victims rather than being punished for their circumstances.

Expert Perspectives

Dr. Laura Bainbridge, an associate professor of criminal justice at Leeds University, welcomed the legislation. She noted that current criminal and civil orders are inconsistent across England and Wales and do not adequately reflect the harm caused by cuckooing. However, she also pointed out that each case is unique, which makes distinguishing between victims and perpetrators challenging.

Dame Rachel de Souza, the UK’s Children's Commissioner, echoed these sentiments, stating that the new law would affirm that exploited children are victims. “Many children targeted by adult criminals face punishment instead of support,” she said, emphasizing the need for a child-centric justice system.

Outlawing Spiking

In a related move, the bill will also explicitly outlaw spiking. The new offence will carry a prison term of up to 10 years, further underlining the government’s commitment to tackling all forms of child exploitation.

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