Child sex crimes have rocketed by more than 80% in the Kirklees and Calderdale areas over the past 12 months.

Police recorded 608 sex crimes against children in the 12 months to June 2015, of which 384 were carried out against children under the age of 13.

According to the figures, just released by the Home Office, this is a rise of 87% compared to the 326 child sex crimes recorded in the 12 months to June 2014.

The figures cover the area covered by Kirklees and Calderdale Community Safety Partnerships.

The Calderdale Community Safety Partnership saw a bigger rise than the Kirklees partnership with the 236 child sex crimes recorded in 2014-15 more than double the figure of 95 for the previous year.

However, the number of sex crimes against children younger than 13 increased by an even greater margin -–up by 215% to 151.

National figures for attacks on children from June 2014 to June 2015

35,152

Sex crimes against children

46%

A rise of

19,984

Attacks on victims under 13

10,821

Number of rapes

Trinity Mirror Data Unit

Part of the reason why these figures have all increased so rapidly is down to the unearthing of historical offences and the confidence that victims have gained since scandals such as the story of Jimmy Savile have emerged.

Improvements in how police record crime will also be a factor.

Det Chief Insp Paul Jeffrey, of Kirklees Police, said: “Child Sexual abuse is an issue which is taken extremely seriously and is the number one priority for police in Kirklees and West Yorkshire.

“We recorded a 72% increase in sexual offences across West Yorkshire in the latest crime figures due to a variety of factors, including a change in the way forces record individual crimes, increased reporting of historic cases following the Jimmy Savile revelations and use of the internet.

“The increase in sexual offending in West Yorkshire is very much in line with the national picture.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Jeffrey
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Jeffrey

“The emergence of the internet as a social space has seen a genuine increase is its use for criminal purposes generally, but in terms of safeguarding, online grooming and making and distribution of images has increased.

“I want to make clear that the organised exploitation by criminal gangs for sexual purposes represents a very small proportion of child sexual offences in Kirklees. By far the most prevalent are allegations of abuse committed by family members and friends.

“We remain committed to dealing robustly with all crimes against vulnerable members of the community in our ongoing work to keep communities safer and feeling safer.

EXTRA: Huge rises in sex offences and violent crime recorded in West Yorkshire

“The force has invested heavily in tackling child safeguarding and historic sexual abuse and, in Kirklees alone, we have a full child safeguarding unit equipped with specialist detectives who investigate child sexual offences and abuse.

“We encourage anyone to report abuse or suspicions that a child or young person may be at risk. I can promise that all reports are investigated and we are putting people before the courts and with partners, securing them substantial terms in custody.”

MORE: 22 young girls in Kirklees currently at risk of child sexual exploitation, report reveals

The force continues to maintain its Know The Signs and Sexting campaigns which can be found at the West Yorkshire Police website and contains details of how parents can protect their children.

Specific advice about how to protect against cybercrime can also be found at http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/blockthewebmonsters webpage. It contains a number of video safety tipsis regularly updated.