Police Target 200 Children in ‘Bebo’ Swoop

By MICHAEL HOWIE HOME AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT

POLICE have swooped on the homes of nearly 200 children identified on internet sites such as Bebo, glorifying gang violence, drinking and taking drugs.

Central Scotland Police trawled Bebo and other social networking sites over several weeks during Operation Pincer, which the force itself described as “intrusive”.

A total of 182 youngsters – 80 in Falkirk, 37 in Clackmannanshire and 66 in the Stirling district – received visits from police after a catalogue of alarming comments, photographs and videos were uncovered.

They included footage of a youngster stamping on another boy’s head, pictures of teenagers brandishing large amounts of alcohol and images of guns.

As a result of the operation, the alleged perpetrator of a serious assault was arrested and several people were reported for breaching bail.

Central Scotland Police said parents were “shocked and horrified” when officers revealed what their children had been up to.

In all cases, officers identified the youngsters, aged 12 to 18, from their photos and videos posted on the websites.

Derek Penman, Assistant Chief Constable of Central Scotland Police, said: “When we started looking, what became clear was that young people, aged from very early teens through to late teens and young adulthood, were involved in open displays of aggression and other unacceptable behaviour, apparently fuelled by drink in many cases.

“We found a wide range of content which raised child-safety issues. This included young people being involved in the abuse of alcohol, potentially exposing themselves to violence, possession of weapons, racism and sectarianism.

“Other intelligence was gathered relating to drug dealing.”

Mr Penman said that all 182 young people targeted by the operation were interviewed by officers about their online activity in the presence of their parents or guardians.

He said: “In many cases, the parents were simply unaware of their child’s use of social networking in this way, and their reaction ranged from shock to disgust.”

Police say they will “continue to monitor the situation” over the coming weeks and further visits are planned.

Mr Penman added: “This has been about being intelligence-led from the start, to tackle a long-standing problem of antisocial behaviour, youth disorder and under-age alcohol abuse – something our communities tell us is their biggest concern – which was being driven by young people’s use of the internet.”

Social-work leaders welcomed the operation.

Graham Lambie, children’s safety leader at Stirling Council, said young people were “prepared to expose themselves to high levels of risk in relation to the misuse of alcohol and participation in gang- related activity including the use of weapons”.

He added: “We will continue to liaise closely with the police on this operation and there will be follow-up work with the families and young people concerned.”

A spokesman for Bebo said: “Bebo has strict terms of use which users agree to at the point of registration, under which inappropriate or illegal communications are strictly forbidden.”

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