Child sexual abuse material is not simply illegal content — every image or video represents the abuse, exploitation and suffering of a real child.

These are not victimless offences; they are records of crimes committed against vulnerable children, and the harm caused continues long after the abuse itself has taken place.

This issue is deeply personal to many families affected by these offences. Discovering that someone close to you has been convicted of possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children can have a devastating and lifelong impact. It highlights the urgent need for a justice system that fully recognises the seriousness of these crimes and the harm caused to victims and their families.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 provides a legal framework for offences involving child sexual abuse material and allows for significant penalties. However, there remains discretion within sentencing which can result in some offenders convicted of the most serious offences receiving suspended sentences rather than immediate custody.

According to NSPCC data, there were 30,925 offences involving obscene publications recorded in the last year, demonstrating the scale of the issue and the urgent need to ensure that sentencing keeps pace with the seriousness of these crimes.

Child sexual abuse images and videos are not just images; they are crime scenes. They are evidence of real abuse inflicted upon real children. Those who possess, collect or distribute the most serious material contribute to the continued exploitation of vulnerable children.

We call on the UK Government to:

• Introduce a presumption of immediate custody for offenders convicted of possessing significant quantities of Category A child sexual abuse material, with any departure from this only permitted in truly exceptional circumstances.
• Reduce the routine use of suspended sentences in the most serious child sexual abuse material cases.
• Require courts to clearly explain why immediate custody has not been imposed in the most serious cases.
• Review sentencing guidelines to ensure the quantity, category and severity of material are given appropriate weight.
• Review the use of mitigating factors where the consequences being considered are a direct result of an offender’s own criminal actions, including consequences such as loss of employment, relationships or family circumstances.
• Ensure that the experiences of victims, survivors and their families are properly considered when developing sentencing policy.

This is not about removing judicial discretion or denying individuals a fair trial. It is about ensuring that the most serious offenders face sentences that properly reflect the devastating harm represented by these offences.

Children deserve protection not only from abuse itself, but also through a justice system that recognises the seriousness of crimes committed against them.

Please support this petition to call for stronger sentencing and greater protection for vulnerable children.