Labour urged to investigate UK websites openly advertising 'child sex dolls'

Labour has been urged to ban child-like sexual abuse dolls in England and Wales under a new draft law.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson is seeking to close a “dangerous” legislative gap by criminalising the possession, sale and manufacture of child-like sex dolls.

Her private member’s Bill aims to prevent sexual harm and disrupt behaviour which may indicate or facilitate a sexual interest in children.

Possession of a child-like sex doll is not an offence in the UK, but those who import them can be convicted under the Customs Consolidation Act 1876.

In 2017, ex-school governor and church warden David Turner was jailed for 16 months after he imported a 3ft child sex doll from China.

When officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) searched his home in Ramsgate, Kent, they discovered two more child sex dolls.

Analysis of his computers, external hard drives and pen drives revealed he had also downloaded more than 34,000 indecent images of children.

Child protection charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation said child-like sex dolls “normalise and legitimise adult sexual behaviour with children”.

Lucy Faithfull Foundation Director Stuart Allardyce said: "Although some might suggest they prevent people from harming real children, in reality using them can reinforce sexual fantasies about children and sexual interactions with people who cannot consent."

The Child-like Sexual Abuse Dolls (Offences) Bill would bring the possession of a doll on par with possessing indecent images of children, Ms Wilson said.

The MP for Twickenham told reporters she is "disgusted and horrified that these things exist" but Britons "mustn’t be squeamish about tackling this issue head-on".

She said: “At the moment, somebody who’s just been found with a doll can’t be tracked in any way, and they won’t be on the sex offenders register or anything like that. Whereas if they’re found with indecent images, then obviously they can be flagged up."

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The senior Liberal Democrat continued: "But if the only thing you know about them is that they’ve got a doll, then you’re quite hampered in what you can do as a police force."

Under the draft law, police will be able to seize such dolls and offenders who are found guilty could face prison time as well as monitoring.

The Bill, which is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Commons on September 4, would need the support of the Government to become law.

The dolls being sold are mainly girls with some "as small as babies", Ms Wilson said, adding: "They can be custom-made, so made to order with certain specifications."

The Bill is drafted to include any doll which "resembles a child or any part of a child", to prevent perpetrators getting around the proposed law, Ms Wilson said.

She said some people are "ordering bits of dolls and then putting them together" to avoid prosecution under existing laws.

Ms Wilson continued: "It’s all about protecting children, that’s why I’m doing it. It’s a horrendous issue to work on, to talk about, to investigate, and people have said to me...do you really want to be named for this issue?

"One of the reasons I’m in Parliament is to protect and make life better for children, and this is clearly a dangerous gap that we’ve got in our legislation."

She added: “Both as an MP and as a mother of two small children, I’m disgusted and horrified that these things exist, let alone the fact that they are still legal in this country.

"It’s high time we close this legislative gap, and it’s one small piece of the puzzle of how we keep our children safe, but an important one, and we mustn’t be squeamish about tackling this issue head-on.”

Mr Allardyce, of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: "For those who are concerned about their sexual thoughts or behaviours towards children, there are ways of managing those thoughts so they do not lead to risk to children.

"Anyone concerned can find confidential and non-judgmental support through our Stop It Now website, self-help programme and anonymous helpline, and for young people, our Shore website and anonymous chat service."

A Home Office spokesman said: "These dolls are vile, and it’s right they should be banned and removed from sale. We are already taking action to stop their distribution, helping protect children from predatory threats in the future."