News

Department of Health lead cyber-bullying strategy

Co Tyrone teenager Ronan Hughes who took his own life after being blackmailed online
Co Tyrone teenager Ronan Hughes who took his own life after being blackmailed online Co Tyrone teenager Ronan Hughes who took his own life after being blackmailed online

OFFICIALS at the Department of Health are taking the lead on a Northern Ireland strategy to tackle internet bullying - just two weeks after the suicide of a Co Tyrone boy blackmailed in a scam.

The Irish News has learned that the Department's draft report into how to keep children "safe online" will not be presented to the Executive until next summer.

Services providing support to young people who fall victim to internet abuse are among the blueprint's recommendations.

Concerns about the lack of awareness around the dangers of online crime and the PSNI attitude to the issue were raised by the parents of Ronan Hughes earlier this week.

The 17-year-old and his father approached the police for help within hours of a Nigerian-based fake site demanding £3,300 as part of blackmail plot - after the teenager was duped into posting images online.

Ronan, from Clonoe outside Coalisland, took his own life after the blackmailers acted on their threat and sent the images to his Facebook friends.

Gerard and Teresa Hughes said more needed to be done to educate families about the risks of social media, while they also called for the police to make urgent improvements in how they respond to such crimes.

The heartbroken couple described those who threatened their son as "relentless", bombarding him with online messages for payment - and criticised the police for being dismissive of the case.

Within 48 hours of the schoolboy’s death, the bogus site was located and shut down by police.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health confirmed that they were working on a strategy to improve internet safety and that it had received cross-departmental funding.

"The aim will be to educate and support children and young people and those engaging with them to develop the skills and knowledge to help keep them safe online," she said.

"It will promote the responsible use of digital technology and facilitate access to age-appropriate services on how to handle online abuse if it occurs.

"Work is currently progressing to produce a draft strategy for the Executive's consideration by July 2016."

The project was spurred by a Department proposal earlier this year to work with the north's Safeguarding Board - a body set up to protect vulernable children - on the roll-out of an 'e-safety' strategy.