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A new legislation set to be introduced to Parliament next week will establish specific criminal offenses for child criminal exploitation and “cuckooing.” The Crime and Policing Bill aims to address the issue of criminals taking advantage of vulnerable individuals by taking over their homes for illegal activities like drug dealing. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the importance of protecting victims and preventing such hidden crimes from occurring.
Under current guidelines, prosecutors handling cases of cuckooing may have to resort to other offenses like assault, harassment, and modern-day slavery to press charges, but these may not cover all instances. The previous government had plans to criminalize cuckooing in its Criminal Justice Bill, but progress halted when Parliament was dissolved for a general election. The new child criminal exploitation offense in the Labour bill targets individuals grooming children for criminal activities such as county lines drug dealing and organized robbery.
It is estimated that around 14,500 children were considered at risk of child criminal exploitation in the past year, though this figure is believed to be an underestimate. The legislation will introduce penalties of up to five years in prison for cuckooing and up to 10 years for child criminal exploitation. Additionally, the bill will include measures for CCE prevention orders, allowing courts to impose restrictions on individuals posing a risk of exploiting children for criminal purposes. Breaking these orders will also carry penalties of up to five years in prison.
Dame Rachel de Souza, the UK’s Children’s Commissioner, believes that these measures will help clarify that exploited children are victims and not criminals themselves. She stressed the importance of listening to the voices and experiences of these children to create a justice system focused on safeguarding. The bill will also address the issue of spiking with a new offense carrying a maximum prison term of 10 years
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