West Midlands MEP John Corrie has thrown his support behind a proposal to encourage internet users to report child pornography to the police.

The plan by the European Parliament aims to point officers across the continent to people involved with child abuse.

Special police units will be linked across the EU to react to offences that are uncovered on the internet.

The proposal sets the age limit for indecent pictures at 16, and anyone who is older but poses for a picture pretending to be a child will also face prosecution.

The aim to is crack down on growing number of cases involving paedophiles.

Mr Corrie said:

“The aim is to facilitate the speedy detection and prosecution of offences involving children.

“It is considered that, if effective action is to be taken, it is not enough to react to offences that have already come to light in view of the increasing number of cases presently appearing on the internet.

“The information provided will be linked to special police units in every EU country to be set up to scan systematically the internet for child pornography and to work closely with Europol.

“It will involve wide-ranging co-operation between member states and regular evaluation of necessary changes to criminal procedural law.”