The key facts
- Since 2003 grooming has been a separate offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years; 7,197 such offences were recorded in 2024/25
- Since June, grooming has been a separate aggravating factor when sentencing for sexual offences against children
- Baroness Louise Casey demands that adults who have sexual contact with 13–15-year-olds be automatically charged with rape, and says she has received assurances from ministers
A reason for a new debate on the laws
The conviction of comedian Russell Brand for rape and sexual assault, along with separate allegations of sexual misconduct against David Walliams — who denies being a sexual predator and is not the subject of a criminal investigation — have once again raised in the UK the question of whether the set of criminal offences is sufficient to combat sexual violence. This debate has resurfaced since the international rise of the 'Me Too' movement in 2017.
How the current legislation works
In criminal courts, grooming is usually understood as a situation in which an offender builds a relationship of trust with a child in order to prepare the ground for sexual acts; such relationships typically involve manipulation — emotional, often subtle and frequently coercive. Since 2003, an adult meeting a child 'following sexual grooming' has been an offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years: the offence is considered committed if an adult has met or communicated at least once with a person under 16, and then intentionally met them or travelled to meet them with the intent of committing a sexual offence. Related offences cover arranging a sexual offence against a child, sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, or inciting a person under 13 to take part in one. Separately, abuse of a position of trust towards persons under 18 is singled out — for example, in care settings.
Statistics show regular use
Although the grooming offence rarely makes headlines, according to an analysis by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse — an independent organisation funded by the government — police and prosecutors turn to it regularly. In the 2024/25 financial year, 7,197 such offences were recorded in England and Wales; almost a third of cases ended in a charge, and in 2024 just over 2,000 defendants were convicted. The pace of prosecuting suspects has more than doubled over seven years. Since June, grooming has also become an element of sentencing law: a judge, when determining the sentence for a sexual offence against a child, must consider how the contact arose and, where there are signs of grooming, treat this as an aggravating factor.
Critics see gaps
Some campaigners believe the law should clearly define the very concept of grooming. ThirtyOne:Eight, a charitable consultancy working on safeguarding in religious organisations, concluded last year that intent to groom — regardless of whether sexual abuse took place — should become a standalone offence. Baroness Louise Casey, who conducted a national audit of abuse by 'grooming gangs', pointed to another flaw: the law contains an exception for under-16s in relationships with each other, so as not to criminalise 13–15-year-olds. According to her report, because of this there were cases where offenders were charged with the less serious offence of 'sexual activity with a child' rather than rape, on the assumption that the child had 'consented'. On Radio 4 she called it 'staggering' that adults who have sexual contact with 13–15-year-olds are not automatically charged with rape, as in France, and said she had received an assurance from ministers that this gap would be closed. In her words, the audit's recommendations remain 'a work in progress'. The Ministry of Justice was asked for comment.
The debate over the age of consent
A 'tiered' age of consent is also being discussed — an idea that became a topic of debate in 2023 after the public allegations against Russell Brand. One of the alleged victims proposed banning people over 18 from having sexual relations with 16–17-year-olds, while allowing relationships within that age group. The counterargument is that once the age of consent is reached, the law already recognises a person as mature enough to consent, and in its absence the act is classified as rape.
Image source, Getty Images 
