5 people arrested following disorder in Southport!

MERSEYSIDE December 2019. Merseyside Police Patrols attended the situation and spoke to witnesses who suggested that, the incident near to the Scarisbrick Hotel, on Lord Street, involved a group of men and women. In total 5 people, 2 men and 3 women, were injured during the incident. Merseyside Police have informed us that they had become embroiled in a fight during, in which sharp implements were used to inflict a stabbed wound to the neck and a stab wound to the head of a male. 2 of the women suffered facial bruising and the other suffered a stab wound to her arm. We are told that none of the injuries were serious, and they have been released from Hospital. Also, on Saturday, 7 December 2019, Merseyside Police said that they have subsequently been arrested 2 males, aged 21 years from Southport and 20 years from Lancashire, and 3 women, (2 aged 21 years, from Southport and 1 aged 20 years, from Kirkby), on suspicion of Causing Section 18 wounding. The investigation is still at an early stage and resulted in a number of crime scenes being cordoned off in the Lord Street area, whilst Crime Scene Investigators carried out forensic inquiries. We are also told that CCTV opportunities are being assessed and an investigation into the full circumstances surrounding the incident is continuing.

Detective Chief Inspector John Williams, said:- "Our investigation is at a very early stage, and we are still trying to piece together what happened during this incident. Extra Police Officers will be on patrol to reassure local people, and we are determined to being those responsible to justice. We know that a number of people and drivers were in the area at the time of the incident and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened, or has any information which could help with our inquiries, to come forward. If you have any CCTV, Dash-Cam or phone footage of the incident, or any information which could help with our inquiries please contact Merseyside Police via direct message on Twitter or Facebook, or call them on:- 101. Alternatively you can also pass on information anonymously via Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111."

Facebook's encryption plans risk making it a 1 stop grooming shop

NSPCC urges the tech giant to guarantee child safety won't be compromised and demands next Government impose tough regulation on big tech. Thousands of online child sex crimes recorded in England and Wales could go undetected if Facebook introduces end to end encryption in its apps, NSPCC research suggests. Police recorded over 4,000 instances where Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp were used in child abuse image and online child sexual offences in 2018, an average of 11 times a day. This was nearly ½ of the total 9,259 instances where the platform was known, according to Freedom of Information requests obtained by the NSPCC from 32 forces. Police in the North West recorded 787 instances where Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp were used in child abuse image and online child sexual offences last year; which was 55% of the total 1,420 instances in that area, where the platform was known. The NSPCC warns crimes will go undetected if the tech giant continues with its plans to encrypt messaging on Facebook and Instagram without first putting clear safeguards in place. Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg's plans mean it would no longer be able to see and report illegal content to law enforcement, and Police will be left working in the dark to detect child abuse crimes. The charity also believes more serious child abuse will take place on Facebook owned apps as abusers won't have to move their victims off the platform to other encrypted ones to groom and exploit them. The data obtained by the NSPCC found that, of the total number of incidents where the method was recorded, 22% were on Instagram and 19% on Facebook or Facebook Messenger. Only a small percentage (3%) were recorded on WhatsApp which is already encrypted, highlighting how much more difficult it becomes to detect crimes. The true scale of the problem on Facebook's platforms could be much higher as some forces could not provide information on the method of communication for some offences. It comes as the NSPCC is calling for supporters to sign an open letter to Facebook demanding they put children first as part of its Wild West Web campaign. Andy Burrows, NSPCC Head of Child Safety Online Policy, said:- "Instead of working to protect children and make the online world they live in safer, Facebook is actively choosing to give offenders a place to hide in the shadows and risks making itself a 1 stop grooming shop. For far too long Facebook's mantra has been to move fast and break things, but these figures provide a clear snapshot of the thousands of child sex crimes that could go undetected if they push ahead with their plans unchecked. If Facebook fails to guarantee encryption won't be detrimental to children's safety, the next Government must make clear they will face tough consequences from day 1 for breaching their Duty of Care."

The NSPCC is calling for:-

► No end to end encryption for messages going to or coming from children's accounts on Facebook apps.

► Adults accounts not to be encrypted until and unless Facebook has solutions to ensure child abuse can be detected and that children safety won't be compromised.

► The next Government to push ahead with introducing an independent Duty of Care regulator to keep children safe online.

► The next Government to warn Facebook that encryption breaches the incoming Duty of Care and pressing ahead will mean tough consequences.