02/04/2026: Com Networks – Inflicting harm and committing a range of criminality.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued a high-level warning regarding sadistic online communities that are accessible in the UK. They refer to seemingly innocent online community networks, but can cause immense harm both online and offline, including physical, sexual and financial crimes.
Known as a Com Network (Community Network), these exclusive digital clubs operate on the fringes of mainstream platforms. Largely composed of teenage boys, these groups often move from mainstream social media (Facebook, Snapchat etc), gaming networks (E.g. Roblox) or other public forums to private group chats on platforms like Discord, Telegram or Instagram.
24/03/2026: QR codes to Drugs sites
DC Nick Burnett from our Serious Crime Unit appeared on BBC Crimewatch Live to explain how QR codes stuck on lamp posts, bus stops and other street furniture are used to target the sale of illegal harmful drugs at children and young people, especially if they are found near schools.
The QR codes feature bright eye-catching graphics designs, and the social media sites they lead to are designed to appeal to youngsters.
05/07/2026: Can anti-social behaviour be cut by fining parents?
They are designed to curb anti-social behaviour by requiring parents to attend courses. But, as the government plans to toughen the use of parenting orders, concerns have been raised that heavy fines will push families further into poverty.
03/07/2026: Parents warned not to publicly share children’s images amid AI abuse risks
Parents should not publicly post images of their children online due to the growth of AI-generated abuse imagery, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has warned.
25/06/2026: Number of children getting special educational needs support hits another record high
The number of children getting support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England has risen sharply again to a new record high, government figures show.
25/06/2026: Why dangerous teen sex choking is raising alarm
“It started as a sexual thing, something he experimented with,” 17-year-old Louise, not her real name, tells us. Having spoken to friends about non-fatal strangulation (NFS), or “choking” as it is often referred to, she thought it was a normal part of sex.
18/06/2026: Children taught to spot scams and money laundering
Children as young as 10 are to be taught how to recognise scams and avoid being drawn into money laundering, using new lessons developed by police in the South West.
13/06/2026: Social media ban for under-16s would be unenforceable, charity warns
A social media ban for under-16s would not be enforceable and the government should instead focus on restricting the features that make it addictive, the chief executive of an online safety charity has said.